Marilyn Ruth Bird

On a lark, Marilyn and several of her Central classmates decided to go to the University of Oklahoma where Marilyn joined Chi Omega Sorority. She met her future husband, Clarke Bird on a blind date. Over the summer, Marilyn wrote Clarke that she wouldn’t be returning to OU in the fall. Instead she was accepted in American Airlines flight attendant school in Ft. Worth. She flew for a little over a year before Clarke grounded her with an engagement ring. In those days, American flight attendants had to be single.

Marilyn married Clarke in 1960 and their first home was in Kansas City. A daughter Paige was born in 1961 at the same hospital that Marilyn had been born 22 years earlier. A son, Christopher was born in 1964 and a job transfer led the Birds to Atlanta.

Various job transfers and job changes to Houston, Boston, Chicago, Calgary, Canada and a final retirement move to San Antonio meant Marilyn had to decorate a new home, get her kids enrolled in new schools, join Newcomers, make new friends, find a new bridge group, locate the nearest Chico’s and learn to navigate around a huge, traffic-congested city.

Early retirement in Canada required a final move. Marilyn wanted to be within a days drive to Midland, where her daughter Paige’s family lived. After looking at several cities and some debate, we chose San Antonio.

Growing up in Memphis, Marilyn’s mother exposed Marilyn to all the niceties of Southern Hospitality. Marilyn developed a Southern accent, a taste for Southern cooking and the finer points of entertaining guests. Marilyn worked at several jobs over the years but her favorite jobs were as secretary to a grade school in Houston and a William-Sonoma registry consultant in San Antonio.

Marilyn was a gifted cook, using herbs from her own garden when cooking for dinner guests. Marilyn loved these things in no particular order: gardening, travel to the mountains and the beach, white wine, recipes and good humor. The friends she made in various cities were added to her Christmas Card list which was becoming unmanageable.

Marilyn loved being a mother to daughter Paige and to son Christopher. She was involved with Brownies and cheerleading practices for Paige and was Christopher’s biggest cheerleader for sporting events. When Paige when off to UT and Christopher to OU, she was there for Mom’s Day and graduation. Later when Paige produced two grand children, Marilyn was reborn as Mimi and took grand-mothering to a new level.

Marilyn is survived by her husband Clarke of 65 years with whom she traveled throughout the US, Western Canada and parts of Europe, daughter Paige Pitts and son-in-law Steve Pitts of Midland; son Christopher Bird of Chicago; sister-in-law Pat Land of West End, NC; grandchildren Zach Pitts and wife Jessi, and Amber Boothe and husband Cameron of Midland; and great-grandsons Easton and Cannon Boothe and Cooper Pitts. She also leaves behind nephews David Land of Denver, NC, Mike Land, of Annapolis, MD, and Mitch Bird of Dayton, OH and a very special niece Kim Peters of Ft. Worth.

We are grateful to the staff at Legacy Ranch and Vogel Assisted Living at Manor Park who took wonderful care of her, particularly Rose Lavigne and Donna Leonard.

A service will be held on Wednesday, March 26 at 10:00 AM at the Parks-Faudree Family Chapel at Manor Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to be sent to Manor Park or the charity of your choice.

It can be truly said that Marilyn enjoyed a life well lived. She will welcome visitors at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX.