Marilyn Sue Davidson's Obituary
Marilyn Sue Davidson, 89, of Lorain, Ohio passed away in the arms of her loving Daughter , Lisa Leigh, on November 5, 2024 following a valiant fight with congestive heart failure. While her tender heart could no longer survive, the love within shall continue to blossom throughout her treasured relationships of those closest in her life.
Marilyn was born in Portsmouth, Ohio to Raymond Russell and Pearl Edna Johnson on January 24, 1935. Despite losing her beloved Mother at the tender age of 11 and facing adversity and challenges as a young girl, she embodied a tenacious spirit and pure goodness and love.
Marilyn was affectionately known by her unique and beloved nickname, Zeus, a moniker she embraced and one which would define her incomparable spirit and good nature to roll with the punches and all the adventures she was able to enjoy with her Daughter and close friends. In the final week of her life, her insurmountable efforts to survive and write one final chapter could not have been more best defined by none other than Zeus!
Marilyn enjoyed travel with her Daughter, having special trips together under the auspices of going to the “ Columbus Zoo,” which became their special code for their treasured Mother-Daughter trips to New York City, Las Vegas, San Diego, Chicago and New Orleans. She also enjoyed recent travel to Maggie Valley, North Carolina to visit special friends Ellen and Albert Greulich, Arlington, Virginia to see her treasured friend, Lena and the Outer Banks, Atlantic Beach.
Marilyn was a great fan of Aerosmith and had planned on seeing them in concert this year. She bragged she had seen them 5 times and would tell anyone that the pyrotechnics from a Motley Crue show blew out her hearing! She recently enjoyed seeing a Bee Gees tribute band with her friend, Norma, and enjoyed a Wayne Newton concert at the Rocksino. She loved going out to lunch and dinner and was simply a good sport about everything, often enjoying nights out and celebrating birthdays with her Daughter and friends at Uncle Vic’s, Jaxx, the Hideout and a few places that shall not be named and was always up for a fun time! She was also a great cook.
She loved her travel to New York City visiting her sister, Georgeann, and left no stone unturned in seeing Broadways shows, meeting countless celebrities and having great meals and savoring all that life had to offer her.
While Marilyn never formally worked outside the home, she had the hardest job of all….being a dedicated and loving Wife and Mother. She was married to her childhood sweetheart, Jerry, for 62 ½ years and had known each other since they were 10 years old, having lived “4 doors down.”
She also babysat teacher’s and neighbor’s children, teaching them their nursery rhymes and being there for them when they came home from school to provide them comfort and love in their young lives and was also a companion for an elderly neighbor.
Marilyn was also very proud to be one of the longest customers at Fligner’s Supermarket in Lorain and was so grateful to Kel Fligner, for helping her after the passing of her husband to continue to get her groceries to her home.
Marilyn is preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Pearl, husband, Jerry K., son, Anthony Alan, sister Georgeann, nephew, Stephen, mother-in-law, Garnet and aunt, Alma.
She is survived by her dedicated and loving daughter, Lisa Leigh of Lorain, Ohio and beloved fur baby pets, Missy McMuffin and Miss Chloe.
Marilyn leaves behind a special circle of the most dedicated and loving friends of many years and decades that were her extended family. Her beloved and cherished friend of 67 years, Lena Koval of Arlington, Virginia, Susie Ingstrum, of Mesa, Arizona, Laura Post, Sarah Duff, Kathy Pasterak Hall, former son-in-law, Paul Landman, Jr., John M. Gundy, Jr., Linda Kovach, Kathy Browning, DiDi and Terry Shullick, Mary Zelek and the Koval, Nickoloff and Balchak families. She also adored her glam squad, Mr. Juanderful!
Marilyn was deeply touched by those who visited her in her final week of life and wanted to thank Ann, Laura, Sarah, Kathy, Paul, Dino, Mary, Linda, Natalie and John for taking the time out of their lives to give her love and support and provide comfort to her Daughter.
Marilyn was so grateful for the care of Ann and Lewis Beaver, her beloved neighbors, who helped enable her to continue to live in her home and for Sarah and Paul, who also helped in looking after her when needed. She was so happy to continue to be at home, in her own surroundings.
Marilyn and her Daughter would like to thank the caring nursing and support staff in the MICU and 8th floor cardiac unit at University Hospitals in Elyria, who made an untenable situation more bearable with their professionalism, dedication and empathetic efforts to provide care and dignity and preserve her Daughter’s final wishes for her Mother…thank you, Kim, Paige and Gladys.
Marilyn and her Daughter also want to thank her primary care provider, Molly Fior, who exemplifies the credo of Do No Harm and was part of Team Marilyn! Thank you, Molly, for your unwavering dedication and support and your continued best efforts to provide excellent care.
As her Daughter, I had the privilege and profound honour to care for my Mom and share a bond and love with her like no other….two peas in a pod in every sense. I shall cherish her and all her life’s lessons, graciousness and unselfish love and sacrifice the rest of my life and continue to live the fullest life that she would have wanted me to and will not forget her never-ending advice to “be more patient.” There will be no other like Zeus!
Thank you, Mommy, FOR EVERYTHING. I am eternally grateful for all your love and my heart shall beat for yours. I Love You.
A special thank you to Pam Reber for her excellence in her profession, empathy and providing me a beautiful memory of my Mom.
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