Marilyn Jean Halvorsen

March 8, 1931 - September 4, 2020

Marilyn Jean (Futter) Halvorsen, 89, resident of Marion, Iowa, passed away suddenly but peacefully of natural causes on Friday, September 4, 2020 at her home. Marilyn was born in Evanston, Illinois, on March 8, 1931, the daughter of Zeno and Jean (VonderHaar) Futter. Her mother gave birth to her during the seventh largest snowfall in Chicago history. Not to be outdone, Marilyn gave birth to one of her many children during Chicago’s largest ever snowfall. Her parents enrolled her in dance lessons (tap and ballet) at the age of 5 and she loved to dance in talent shows during her teenage years. She was occasionally asked by her employer to be a model in their advertisements. Marilyn was a graduate of St. Scholastica Academy and Mundelein College in Chicago. Marilyn met Richard “Dick” Halvorsen when she lived across the street from him in the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago. They fell in love and married following Dick’s military discharge in 1954. She was a loving wife, homemaker, and wonderful mother of 11 children. Her grace, cheerful optimism, thoughtfulness, selflessness and patience were only a few of her outstanding qualities. She had an amazing ability to remember things you discussed with her; years later sending a newspaper clipping on the same subject. She loved teaching her children skills such as cooking, sewing, shorthand and typing. Hundreds of family and friends enjoyed receiving her birthday and anniversary cards every year without fail. Her Catholic faith was her strength. Most of all she loved her family. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. She is survived by 11 loving children: Tim (Anne), Sharon (John Clouse), Holly (John Falotico), Keith, Linda (Craig Umans), Doug (AJ), Maureen (Al Lefebure), Sheila (Rob Grasso), Patrick (Beth), Janice, Kathy (Jim Enstrom); 22 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Marilyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Richard “Dick” Halvorsen; her parents; brothers Zeno and James (Mary) Futter; an infant sister Mary Agnes; and 4 infant children: Richard, Marilyn, Christopher, and Joan. Due to coronavirus concerns, funeral and burial services will be private. A mass will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2020, at 11:30 am. The service will be streaming live on Church of St. Mary-Lake Forest Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ChurchofStMaryLF/videos/. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Illinois at https://www.jdrf.org/illinois/ or The Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society at https://www.chromosome18.org/. For information – Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, 847-234-9649. Please visit Marilyn's tribute at www.RTfunerals.com to leave condolences.