Marilyn Etchison
Marilyn Cotton Etchison, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, teacher and friend, died after a brief illness at 4 AM April 19, 2024 at home in Avalon Village in Hampden, Maine. She was surrounded by her family and caregivers. Many devoted caregivers and medical professionals cared for her and assisted the family over the years.
Marilyn grew up in Elwood, the daughter of Evelyn Fisher Cotton and Dr. Perry Everingham Cotton. She was predeceased by her six sisters, Jo Ann Seright, Nancy Jane Hill, Carol Fisher Cotton Frye, Joyce Cotton Ruby, Alice Marie Knotts and Linda Evelyn Speer. Marilyn spent many memorable summers with her Grandma Emma Ruhama “Amy” and Grandpa William Beatty Fisher on the family farm in Wolcott. Her paternal grandparents were Dr. Carrol Charles and Stella Everingham Cotton of Elwood.
Marilyn graduated from Wendell Willkie High School in 1952. Marilyn belonged to Debate Club, Crescent, Booster Club, Latin Club, and the National Honor Society. She then earned an A.B. from Indiana University in English with a minor in French in 1956 and earned her master’s degree in education from Butler University in 1971. As an educator, she taught high school English, speech, debate, and directed plays in Noblesville, Kempton, and Tipton.
Marilyn was a member of Mortar Board; Future Teachers of America; Pamarada; Union Committee Chairmen; Contest Alumni on Campus; and she was President of the IU Foundation Steering Committee responsible for the Little 500 bicycle race. She was the Office Manager for the IU Yearbook, the Arbutus; a member of the Association of Women Students Council (AWS Council); Chair of the Women’s Residence Hall (WRH) Judicial Board; and the YWCA State Chairman. Marilyn traveled to Berkeley, California as Indiana State Chair of the YWCA. In Tipton, she was a member of the Tri Kappa sorority, served on the Tipton County Public Library board, and belonged to the Normanda Christian Church.
Surviving Marilyn is her husband, Dallas Franklin Etchison, who was married to Marilyn for 65 years. Marilyn and Dallas built a second home in Maine in 2005, then moved permanently in 2011, after spending 50 years of their marriage on their farm in Tipton County near Goldsmith.
Marilyn was a devoted mother to Diana Etchison Prescott, also of Hampden, Maine and Kathleen Etchison, of Manassas, Virginia. Diana is married to David Prescott, and her children are Rachel, of Memphis, TN; Meredith, of Washington, DC; and Eleanor, of Orono, ME. Kathleen is married to Thomas Andahl, and her children are Connor and Marta. Marilyn was very close to her numerous nieces and nephews.
Marilyn made friends wherever she went and was an incredibly optimistic person. She loved flowers and enjoyed gardening, reading, music, dancing, cooking, and art. Marilyn enjoyed traveling, saving her money when first teaching for a special trip to Europe.
A celebration of Dallas and Marilyn’s lives will be held on October 19 at The Barn at Homestead Farm, 6733 West State Road 28 in Tipton, Indiana, and they will be buried together in the Tetersburg Cemetery.
Memorial gifts can be forwarded to the Tipton County Foundation, 1020 Jefferson Street, Tipton, IN 46072 or tiptoncf.org for a scholarship to be established in her name.
Young-Nichols Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
Sending kind thoughts and prayers to Marilyn’s family. I so enjoyed teaching with Marilyn at THS years ago. She had a lovely sparkle!
Sidenia Stace
Our family enjoyed living on the farm a few miles from Marilyn & Dallas and their family. Marilyn was a joy, a bright & shining teacher, and a delightful neighbor. She & Dallas
always had smiles to share, and loved being on the East Coast close to their children and grandchildren. Our love and prayers go to the new angel in heaven and her family.
My favorite teacher at THS. I took as many English classes as I could that she taught. I remember she let me take some and not attend the class for extra English credits. She was so sweet to me. She made me love books, novels, and British Literature that was passed down to some of my children. I will miss her deeply.
Having taught with Marilyn at Tipton High School, for a number of years, I remember her as a dedicated teacher and very kind and loving person.
My condolences to the family
So sorry to hear about Marilyn! She was a great teacher that I loved and highly respected! Also was one of my best neighbors. May God comfort the family during their time of sorrow!
Marilyn was a bridge buddy in Tipton. Loved by club members! She was a very good bridge player!
I am a 1992 THS grad and absolutely loved Mrs Etchison. She was one of my favorite people and teachers like her are sadly missed. My mother. Judy Butcher, was the guidance director at THS from 1981 to 2007. She passed away a cpl of years ago but also spoke very highly of Mrs. Atchison. I know she would be saddened by this news. My prayers go out to your family….she will be sorely missed.
Thank you for teaching me!
I’ll always remember her sweet smile and laugh. One of the nicest and most patient teachers I ever had. May her kind and gentle soul rest peacefully, and condolences to all those who loved her.
I am so sorry to hear about her passing. I was able to tell her several years ago how she was my very favorite teacher. I told her I loved English because of her classes at Jefferson High in Kempton.
So sorry to hear of Marilyn’s passing. She was a very special person in my education, being one of the best teachers I have ever known. I have many fond and cherished memories of our English classes, and her caring leadership.
Marilyn brightened many a lunch hour in the Faculty lounge at THS. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a great smile! She was a warm and caring colleague and friend and I am so very glad to have had the privilege of working with her. May she rest in peace and may memories of time spent together help to comfort the family at her loss.
With Sympathy,
Cathy Ferguson
I was so sorry to hear of Mrs. Etchison’s passing. She was my high school English teacher. I never had an opportunity to thank her for showing me that reading books could be enjoyable, not just something I had to do for a book report. She opened up a whole new world for me. She was an excellent teacher, and always walked into the room with a smile. May her family find peace and comfort in their memories of her.
Elizabeth Davenport Sommer
i didn’t have Mrs. Etchison as a teacher but I do remember her sweet spirit & kindness to all of us. She blessed many over the years. Prayers to all the family
I was blessed to know Marilyn and Dallas!
With my deepest sympathy!
Sharon Kiphart
We hope you can take comfort from knowing the incredible inspiration your mother was not only for her students but for young teachers like us at THS many years ago. We were inspired by her intelligence, dedication, warmth, and kindness to everyone. We feel lucky to have known both Marilyn and Dallas. They will both be deeply missed.We’re sorry for your loss,
Christie and Charlie Bowman