Dr. Marilyn Joan (Wilson) Van Valkenburgh

Dr. Marilyn Joan Van Valkenburgh, 96, passed away peacefully at her home in Richland, Michigan on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

Marilyn was born on June 9, 1929, in South Bend, IN to Loyal B. and Violet (Iddings) Wilson. She graduated from South Bend’s James Whitcomb Riley High School in 1947.

Marilyn’s parents both grew up on farms in Angola, IN that are still owned by family members today. One of her happiest memories was spending time at the farm growing up, where she always felt a sense of freedom and especially enjoyed riding horses. She adored her father Loyal and always sought the company of family for comfort and connection. She loved living near the farm at Lake Gage after she retired. This was one of the other happiest periods of her life when she and her husband took driving trips through European countries while staying overnight in youth hostels. This form of travel allowed for spending time with many young and similarly adventurous travelers. They enjoyed extensive stays and journeys in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Latvia, Russia, London, Denmark, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Orleans, Florida, and National Parks in the United States and Canada. Marilyn loved an adventure and once said her favorite trip was riding a motorcycle through Alaska with her brother Loyal. Always a fan of speed, she loved driving fast and riding snowmobiles. She and her brother took their last road trips together in 2018 to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario in Canada as well as a trip through MI and WI later in the fall for a color tour when Marilyn was 89 and her brother was 94.

Marilyn was a woman of faith who believed in God, democracy, fairness, justice, equality, and feminism. She participated in Civil Rights marches in the 60’s and in the Women’s March on Washington in 2017. Marilyn faced many challenges over the years but always found the strength to work through problems and the laughter to keep her going. She was tenacious and persistent. She had a strong moral compass and had high expectations for those around her while always loving her family unconditionally. She was a force of nature.

Marilyn met her husband, Rev. William (Van) Burton Van Valkenburgh, a post war veteran on the GI bill, while attending college at the University of Oklahoma where her sister was already a student. They married on September 9, 1950, at Ridgedale Presbyterian Church in South Bend, IN. They started their life together in Evanston, IL where she received her Bachelor of Elementary Education from Northwestern University in 1951, while her husband, Van, attended Garrett Biblical Seminary. Marilyn chose to study Elementary Education so that she could begin teaching and supporting the family while her husband continued his studies.

Marilyn and Van moved to Kent, OH where he was a Methodist minister and the Director of the Wesley Methodist Foundation for students at Kent State University, and then to Delaware, OH where Van worked for Ohio Wesleyan University. Later Van became Director of the Wesley (Methodist) Foundation at Iowa University, IA. Then they moved to Madison, NJ for Van to study theology at Drew University under a Danforth Foundation Grant. After being ordained as an Episcopal priest, Van became curate at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, NJ and later became rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Clifton, NJ.

Van started experiencing epilepsy while in Morristown, NJ and doctors had difficulty controlling it. In 1969 he resigned his position as parish priest due to his illness and the family moved to Kalamazoo, MI, a lively college town, to be closer to Marilyn’s family and for a more affordable cost of living. From 1969 on, Marilyn became the primary support for her family.

Marilyn’s education career started with a first job teaching fourth grade at the Howard School in Wilmette, IL. Then she taught grades 5 and 6 in Chatham Borough, NJ. Later she was her daughter Katrina’s 2nd grade teacher at Kimberly School for Girls in Montclair, NJ. While in New Jersey, she received a Master’s degree in education with a specialty in Learning Disabilities from Montclair State University.

After moving to Michigan, Marilyn was a reading teacher for the Kalamazoo Public Schools. While taking a one-year leave from work, Marilyn received a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University in 1974. She was the first and only person to complete their Doctoral program in one year, starting work on her dissertation at the beginning of her program.

After receiving her doctorate, Marilyn became the Principal of the Wealthy Elementary School in East Grand Rapids, MI. In addition, she was an Adjunct Professor in Education at Western Michigan University. In 1981 she became the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for the East Grand Rapids School system until she retired in 1992.

Marilyn contributed to several research studies including “Students at Risk,” her dissertation: “A Study of the Relationship Between Norm-Referenced Tests and Criterion-Reference Tests” and was researcher and co-author of the Kalamazoo Public Schools Integration Study. She was President of the Kent County Curriculum Council from 1985-1986, President of the Michigan Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development from 1986 – 1987 and Member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development from 1987 – 1990.

After retirement, Marilyn was a member of the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Angola, IN and of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Richland, MI.

Surviving are her children, Paula Carol (Stephanie Heard) Van Valkenburgh of Richland, Michigan; Katrina Sue (Michael Newman) Van Valkenburgh of Chicago, Illinois; and William Burton (Ilva Shne) Van Valkenburgh of Mequon, Wisconsin and her two beloved grandchildren, Sigmund “Siggy” Van Valkenburgh and Aksel “Aksey” Van Valkenburgh both of Mequon, Wisconsin as well as many nieces and nephews and cousins.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William Burton Van Valkenburgh on May 14, 2018; her son, Chad Ross Van Valkenburgh who was born on August 3, 1956, and died of a congenital heart condition on February 12, 1957; and her siblings, Loyal I. Wilson and Dona Lou Imler.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM EST on April 25th at Holy Family Episcopal Church in Angola, Indiana with Father Tom Adamson officiating. You can also join the memorial service virtually through Zoom by clicking this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/86769008964/invitations?signature=29_NiEsInc3HOmyYY6L4kKZWD4f-8fGH0AzcR4jZRzw)
 

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to the Rev. William Van Valkenburgh Scholarship Fund at Holy Family Episcopal Church, 909 S. Darling Street, Angola, IN 46703 or via this link: https://give.tithe.ly/?locationId=f49fed42-ce82-46b1-820b-573186611303 The scholarship fund supports post-secondary education for either a member of the church or, when there isn’t a graduating church member, a community member who is studying education.