Opal Marilyn Meredith was born in Collins, Missouri on August 2, 1930 to Fred Austin Meredith and Oral Nancy Boswell Meredith. The oldest of 3 children, she helped raise her 2 younger brothers on the family farm. Her relatives nicknamed her Junie when a youngster said she was cute as a June Bug and the name stuck. Freddie recalls that she was a great sister, always bringing treats to her younger brothers after her work day. She could milk cows better than any of the menfolk. She loved her early school years, including Witt Grade School in Collins and Weaubleau High School. She attended some nursing classes in Bolivar Missouri, as well as classes toward a teaching degree at Pala Dura Canyon College.
She graduated from Collins High School and followed her cousin to Kansas City, where she attended nursing school. She married Virgil Fuller and they lived in Liberal Kansas and then Iowa City until Virgil passed away. Marilyn moved back to Kansas City and worked for AT&T as an IBM machine operator and was, chosen to model with the latest equipment. A co-worker there, Mildred Grate, introduced her brother, Bill, to Marilyn and they were married on November 10, 1956. Meredith Diane Ruggles was born 2 years later and Deborah Lynn 2 years after that.
Before Deborah’s first birthday, the family moved to Amarillo, Texas. While Bill ran cattle as foreman for his father on several ranches, Marilyn managed the urban home. Church participation was important, and Bill hosted many Sunday after-church luncheons, all expertly prepared by Marilyn. In 1970, the family moved to Columbia, Missouri. As the children became more involved in school, extracurricular and 4-H activities, Marilyn continued her technological ambitions, advancing from data processing to the company’s first computer programmer at Missouri Farmer’s Association. This she did with dedication and an excellent work ethic, in the absence of a college degree. She always enjoyed her garden, quilting, ladies church group and, eventually, grandchildren. Marilyn always had a full table set for holidays and when Bill invited extra guests. She seldom passed up a garage sale. In her later years, she cared for Bill until his death from a chronic illness in 2012. She fought hard to overcome her own disability from Parkinson’s disease and remained independent until her death.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her devoted husband, her younger brother Harold Thomas Meredith and cousin Elvin Meredith. She is survived by her youngest brother Freddie Paul Meredith, her two daughters, 3 grandchildren Andrew Louis Weiss, Elora Rae Weiss, and Emma Lea Weiss and numerous nieces and nephews.
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