In memoriam

Marilyn Pelehach passed away peacefully on July 29 in Greensboro, surrounded by her family. She was 67.

Marilyn was born March 26, 1954, in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest child of the late Kendall and Augusta (Holmes) Thomas. She grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, graduating from Shaker Heights High School in 1972 and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1976. She was proud to wear two tassels on her cap at graduation, marking her two degrees – a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Education.

Marilyn began her teaching career in Sandusky, Ohio, teaching children with learning disabilities in grades 5 through 12. She was a gifted teacher and strong advocate for her students. In 1984, she moved to Fremont, Michigan, where she continued to teach LD students. After taking time off to raise her busy family following their move to Oak Ridge in 1994, she eventually returned to the classroom, teaching for a time at Noble Academy in Greensboro and as a tutor.

Marilyn and her husband, John, met at the Stone House in Sandusky, Ohio, at a Friday happy hour. John quickly found himself attracted to the engaging young teacher with the big smile and the beautiful green eyes. They would sometimes tell people, “We met at happy hour and we’ve been happy ever since.”

John and Marilyn wed June 12, 1982, at Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and shared a loving 39-year marriage. She was an amazing wife and they were true partners.

The Pelehach household was a busy place, especially when, as Marilyn said, the kids were “6, 4, 2 and new.” She loved motherhood and was an exceptional mom – a great listener, confidante, advocate, counselor and friend. Marilyn was surprised a number of times when people she knew told her she was their role model. She was extremely proud of her children and their accomplishments, including their choices of spouses. Near the end of her life, she was a joyful and loving grandma, but unfortunately for too short a time.

Marilyn was a member of her high school and college synchronized swim teams and enjoyed skiing, biking, being in nature, craft projects and playing family games, especially canasta. She loved travel and she and John enjoyed numerous great trips. She wanted to go “everywhere” and was proud of having visited six continents, ultimately deciding she didn’t really need to visit Antarctica.

Marilyn’s community activities included volunteering with Special Olympics, starting a PTA at one of her children’s schools, delivering Meals on Wheels for 19 years and serving as an Alight guide for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She most enjoyed teaching adult literacy through Reading Connections. One student commented: “She put me in a different world – someplace I’ve never been before.” Many of the students and others she helped throughout her life might say the same.

Marilyn’s story is notable not only for what she did, but for the kind of person she was. She was a people person who saw the good in everybody and always put the other person first. She really listened to people to understand them and was kind, thoughtful, generous, positive, creative, perceptive, wise and strong.

She is survived by her husband, John, of Oak Ridge; sons Andrew (Kelly) and Michael (Lindsey), both of San Francisco, California; daughters Lisa (Duane) of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Emily (Devin) of Durham, North Carolina; grandsons Leo and Kendall; brother Hal (Jean) of Pine, Colorado; sister Wilna (Chris) of Sunnyvale, California; her parents-in-law, Frank and Jean Pelehach of Sandusky, Ohio, and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.

An outdoor candlelight celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 9, at Gray Gables, 4105 Oak Ridge Road in Summerfield, for vaccinated friends of Marilyn and her family. The celebration will move under a tent in the event of rain. Due to the Delta variant, all attendees are requested to wear masks. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Reading Connections, www.readingconnections.org, or Debbie’s Dream Foundation, www.debbiesdream.org.