In Memory of Marilyn Ann Graham

Marilyn Ann Graham, age 78, of Ida Grove, Iowa passed away on Friday, May 2, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society of Holstein, Iowa.

A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 AM, Thursday, May 8, 2014 at First United Methodist Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. The Reverend Chad Lierman will officiate. Burial will follow at the Ida Grove Cemetery of Ida Grove, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Christensen – Van Houten Funeral Home in Ida Grove, Iowa. The Christensen ~ Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online to www.christensenvanhouten.com

Marilyn Graham, dress designer of Ida Grove, died peacefully on Friday, May 2, 2014, at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Holstein, Iowa.  She died of complications related to Alzheimer’s at 78.

Marilyn Ann English was born October 30, 1935 in Jefferson, Iowa to Duane and Leila Goodwin English.  She spent her early years in Churdan, Iowa before moving to Arthur as a sophomore in high school.

As a girl, Marilyn loved playing the piano and studied piano at Drake University.  She graduated from Arthur High School in 1953.

Marilyn received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drake University in 1957.  She was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and the president of the Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for sororities.   Her senior year, she was awarded a scholarship key for being the senior woman in Business Administration with the highest grade point average by the Phi Gamma Nu society.

The summer before her senior year of college, Marilyn attended classes at the Colorado Teacher’s College in Boulder, CO.  As she told the story, she had a long drive home and went to bed exhausted.  Her mother woke her early the next morning and firmly told her she was needed to substitute for the regular organist at the Ida Grove Methodist Church.  She went, somewhat grudgingly, and played for the morning service.  After the service, Robert Graham, who was home from Iowa State on break, introduced himself and later called her for a date.  They were married 18 months later on December 29, 1957.  

The young couple resided in Spencer, then bought the farm where Robert was raised in 1960.  Marilyn and Robert had five children (one died at birth).  She taught piano lessons on the farm while the kids were young.  She then taught business education at the Schleswig High School from 1970 – 1978.

From 1978 to 1981, Marilyn and Robert ran the Pantry Supermarket in Ida Grove, which sold groceries and beef and pork raised on the family farm. 

In 1984, Marilyn found her calling as a dress designer.  She launched Marilyn Graham Designer Originals, which sold mother-of-the bride gowns all over the country and had showrooms in Ida Grove, IA; New York, NY; and Atlanta, GA.  Marilyn started designing dresses for her daughter, Deb, a college student who needed party dresses.  She saw a business opportunity for high quality, made-to-order dresses, and launched her own label.  She retired in 2005.

Marilyn was a member of the P.E.O.  She was also on the Textiles and Apparel Advisory Board at Iowa State University.  She was politically active for both the Republican and Democratic Parties.

Marilyn is survived by her husband, Robert; four children and their spouses, Diann and Marshall Andrews of Buffalo, NY, Katherine and Victor Ross of Seattle, WA, Debra and Dean Graham Washington, DC, and Gregory Graham and Luciana Lagana’ of Los Angeles, CA; seven grandchildren; and one sister, Kay Simpson of Lisbon, ND.  She was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Kay.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to:  Alzheimer’s Association, Big Sioux Chapter, 201 Pierce Street, Suite 110, Sioux City, IA  51101.   All donations will go toward Alzheimer’s research.