Marilyn Jean Streseman

Marilyn was the eldest of Halford and Catherine Akers's two daughters. She was born in Redlands, California, and spent most of her youth in Boulder City, Nevada. She graduated as valedictorian of her class at Boulder City High School. After initially matriculating at the University of Nevada, Marilyn transferred to the University of California Los Angeles, where she graduated with honors in psychology. She then worked as an elementary school teacher in Darmstadt, Germany, where she met and married Donald, her husband of 54 years, while he as stationed with the Army.

When she and Don returned to the United States, Marilyn devoted herself to raising her three sons as the family moved from Georgia to Maryland to California to Nevada back to California to New Jersey and back (again) to California. Wherever the family settled, she was active in the community, serving as a volunteer in school and scouting organizations. And, after working as a tax specialist, she launched a successful career as a Certified Public Accountant, obtaining a Master of Professional Accountancy degree from California State University Northridge and entering private practice. She ultimately became Controller for Texiera Farms, a family-owned agricultural company in Santa Maria, California.

In 2001, Marilyn and Don moved to the Lake Wildwood community in Penn Valley. She and Don quickly enmeshed themselves into the community and enjoyed a retirement rich in friendships and service. Marilyn devoted many hours as a volunteer and officer in Friends of Hospice, the Interfaith Food Ministry, P.E.O. Chapter VJ, Welcome Wagon Book Club, and Music in the Mountains.

Marilyn is survived by her sister Elizabeth (Gerald); her sons Robert (NancyAnne), Kent (Stacey), and Kevin; her grandchildren Matthew (Ashley), Stephanie (James), Caitlyn (José Javier), and Samantha; and her great-grandchildren Saorise, daughter of Stephanie and James, and Mackensie, daughter of Matthew and Ashley.

Marilyn was kind, caring, and generous. And she was deeply intelligent, resourceful, and resolute. Her friends and family were blessed to have her in their lives: they knew, because of her, that they were loved, that they were valued, and that someone formidable was on their side. She will be missed.

Donations in memory of Marilyn can be made to Hospice of the Foothills (hospiceofthefoothills.org) and Interfaith Food Ministry (interfaithfoodministry.org).