Marilyn Kay Horsley

Marilyn Kay Horsley

Long-time Lawton-Bronson Elementary School Librarian and Loving Mother, Grandmother, and Great-grandmother

Marilyn Kay Horsley, 78, of Lawton, Iowa passed away on June 23, 2023 at her home near Lawton, IA, surrounded by her family.  A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on June 30, 2023.  Visitation 10-11 am with a short service at 11 am at the First Presbyterian Church in Lawton, Iowa.  Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel is handling the arrangements.  Online condolences may be made to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Marilyn Kay (Wright) Horsley was born on March 22, 1945, the daughter of Melvin and Carol (Foster) Wright. She graduated from Lawton HIgh School in 1963 and graduated from Wayne State College with a degree in Home Economics in 1966. Marilyn was active in 4-H growing up. She was a talented musician who often played the piano and organ for church services and accompanied many Lawton-Bronson band solo contestants.

On December 27, 1966, Marilyn and Terry Horsley were united in marriage at the Moville United Methodist Church during a blizzard. They both taught school in Battle Creek, Nebraska for a short time before moving to Marcus, IA to teach and start their family.  In 1984, Terry and Marilyn moved their family to Lawton to be closer to the Horsley and Wright family farms. Marilyn enjoyed watching her kids and grandkids grow up and participate in band and sports. The family spent many summers camping in South Dakota and Wisconsin. Terry and Marilyn (always the unofficial assistant coach and statistician) coached their son Brent’s basketball teams from elementary school to the State Tournament his senior year. They carried on the tradition and coached their grandson, Ansley’s basketball teams as well.  In 2008 Marilyn designed and built her dream home on the Wright Century Farm northeast of Lawton, IA. Marilyn relished being outdoors and gardening on the farm.

Marilyn Horsley was the Lawton-Bronson Elementary School librarian for more than 20 years, where she enjoyed reading stories to the kids and encouraging young children to read. All of the children loved her and it was very common for Marilyn to receive hugs at school and even the grocery store when one of her many school kids spotted her.

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 56 years, Terry Horsley of Lawton, IA; her three children, Wendy (Matt) Pearson of Blue Springs, MO, Robin (Lance) Walker of Lawton, IA, and Brent (Madison) Horsley of Castle Rock, CO; grandchildren Samantha (Tyler) Lubben, Jacob Pearson, Emily (Nick) Fuller, Ansley Walker, Bennett Pearson, and Trey Horsley; great grandchild Mila Lubben; sister Donna Hoffman of Merrill, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents.

The family asks that in lieu of gifts or flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association In Memory of Marilyn Horsley to support research projects and clinical trials for Dementia and Alzheimer’s treatments.