Marilyn Jane Huheey MD

Marilyn Jane Huheey, MD, age 87, passed away on Friday, July 7, 2023. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, of parents affected by the depression. Her father ended up owning the milk bottling business that he drove a truck for at age 16 and worked until 79, and he died at 80 years old. Her mom had died at age 70. Marilyn’s younger brother lived in Tennessee where he customized golf clubs for a living. She will be deeply missed by her sister, Mary Holmes.

Marilyn went to Mariemont High School near Cincinnati and graduated in 1953. By working part-time jobs, scholarships and loans from her parents, she was able to graduate from Ohio University in 1958 with a BS degree in Math. She worked as a high school math teacher in Cleveland, Ohio, a biostatistician at National Jewish Hospital and life science engineer at Stanley Aviation in Denver, Colorado, and life science engineer at North American Aviation in Los Angeles before she realized she needed more education. Marilyn got an MS in physiology at Oklahoma Medical School in Oklahoma City and went to medical school at University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY, graduating in 1970 where she stayed for an internship. Marilyn was a school ship’s doctor and worked in ERs until she got into the residency program in ophthalmology at OSU. She finished in 1975 and went into solo practice in Columbus, Ohio.

Marilyn was very active in the medical profession serving on and chairing committees. Marilyn ran for president of the Academy of Medicine and lost. She actively lobbied against optometric infringement on ophthalmology. She was on the Optician Board for several terms and ran for the Ohio Senate in 1982 (lost again). Marilyn was the President of her Investment Club and served as the Treasurer. She also joined the Board of the League of Women Voters. Marilyn was first appointed to the Board of Cosmetology in 1999 to fill uncompleted term for the position of physician. She was reappointed twice by Taft and once by Strickland and her last term ended in October of 2012. Marilyn had perfect attendance until the ice storm of December 2010.

Marilyn was a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Ohio State University Medical School since 1976 and was especially proud of faithful attendance at the yearly conference of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology for more than 30 years. Listening to lectures and seminars about brand new concepts in the human eye was a particular passion of Marilyn’s though her own research in whether the tears of an expectant mother would be different if she carried a male or female child proved inconclusive. Marilyn loved to learn and share what she learned with her patients.

Humor was an important part of Marilyn’s life. Her father had a great sense of humor and always said that one can judge if a joke is in good taste if the humor exceeds the vulgarity, so many of her stories were “blue.” Marilyn knew that the drops she used to exam the eyes are a bit stingy, so she would tell stories to distract her patients.

Please visit www.schoedinger.com to share memories and condolences. Funeral arrangements entrusted to SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST.