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Marilyn (Gibson) Belman

BELMAN, GIBSON, MACKINSON, BERKE

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 6/28/2016 at 17:35:59

Marilyn (Gibson) Belman died on June 28 at her home in Iowa City. A resident of Iowa City since 1974, Marilyn was born on March 13, 1939 to Harvey and Arlene Gibson in Earlville, IL. She earned a B.A. at North Central College in Naperville, IL, and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

In 1967, she was married to Lary Belman at her childhood farmhouse in Earlville, IL. Together they have one daughter, Pamela (Belman) Mackinson.

No one who met Marilyn Belman forgot her kindness or her strength, nor her passion for social and political activism. Marilyn was tirelessly devoted to improving the lives of others, as evidenced through her work in the Peace Corps in Quito, Ecuador; her early leadership role in the Office of Economic Opportunity in Dekatur, IL; her thirty-some years as a public school teacher; and her work for disability rights in the Iowa City community. A self-avowed “political junkie,” Marilyn practiced what she preached – she stayed informed of current events and was active whenever possible.

Marilyn showed her tremendous strength and tenacity through the years. In 1977, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a baseball, which doctors were able to successfully remove. Doctors warned that scar tissue and damage might prevent her from living a “normal” life, but Marilyn proved them wrong when she learned to how walk and talk again, and was back at work within the year. Through the years, Marilyn dealt with one medical challenge after another, each time defying all expectations.

Throughout her life, she displayed a sense of adventure. She traveled across South America in the 1960s with a friend; explored Europe in the VW hatchback with her husband; lived in Montreal, Quebec; traveled to Greece with friends; visited England with her family; and countless other travels across the United States and Canada. Marilyn loved to travel, and loved to learn as much as she could about different cultures and different people. She had an innate and infectious curiosity about the world around her.

But perhaps the most noteworthy thing about Marilyn was how beloved she was by everyone she met. She was an exceptionally caring, positive, loving person. Her constant support and commitment to her husband, daughter, and friends will never be forgotten.

Marilyn is survived by her husband Lary of Iowa City, their daughter Pamela Mackinson (Brian) of Iowa City, a brother Ronald “Ron” Gibson (Joan) of Naperville, IL, and a brother-in-law John Berke.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Glenn “Hoot” Gibson, and a sister-in-law Madeline Berke.

A Memorial Service to celebrate Marilyn’s life will be held at 3 pm on Friday, July 1st at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City, where the family will greet friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Iowa City Hospice.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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