Marilyn Gonser Schalge

Long-time resident of Littleton, Colorado, Marilyn Gonser Schalge, passed away April 10, 2026. She was 93 years old.

Marilyn was born October 9, 1932, in Manistee, Michigan to Reo William and Vera Mae Gonser. Marilyn was the second of four children. Reo taught high school math in the Manistee school system. Vera, although also a teacher, was not eligible to work full time in the public schools due to her marital status so she supplemented the family’s slim income by occasionally substitute teaching and picking up other odd jobs. 

Though times were hard, the years spent in Manistee during the Great Depression were pleasant ones. When Marilyn was in high school, the family moved to Farwell, Michigan for a short period before settling in Flushing, Michigan where Reo took a job as principal of Flushing High School. Marilyn graduated in 1950 then attended Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, where she met the love of her life, Alvin Schalge. 

Alvin and Marilyn were married on December 18, 1953, in their senior year of college. After graduation (Marilyn with Bachelor of Science degrees in Natural Science and Chemistry and Alvin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry), the young couple moved to Urbana-Champaign to attend graduate school at the University of Illinois where Marilyn earned a Master of Science Degree in Teaching Biology and General Science. While Alvin continued his studies, Marilyn taught biology at Unity High School in Tolono, Illinois until 1959 when Alvin earned his PhD in Chemistry. 

Shortly after graduation, Alvin accepted a job with the Ohio Oil Company (now Marathon Oil Company) which had just established a new research campus in Littleton, Colorado. Marilyn and Alvin moved to Littleton and quickly settled into their new life enjoying fishing, hiking, camping, and everything that Colorado had to offer. They started a family. Gretchen and Heidi were born in 1960 and 1965. The young family joined Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, where Alvin and Marilyn remained active members for the rest of their lives. For Marilyn, that was sixty-seven years. 

Marilyn embraced her new home, becoming active in the Littleton community. She served on numerous boards and commissions including Littleton’s election commission, the Littleton planning commission, the Inter-county Regional Planning Commission (now Denver Regional Council of Governments, or DRCOG), and on the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District planning committee, where she principally authored "A Guide for Growth", a long-range plan that set the stage for the district's extensive network of parks, greenbelts, and recreation facilities enjoyed by residents today. In 1968, Marilyn was named Littleton’s Most Valuable Citizen in recognition of her work on the planning commission. In 1971, she was recognized by the Colorado Parks and Recreation Society for her leadership and long record of service to the community. 

Marilyn won a second Most Valuable Citizen award in 1997 along with the other members of the Board of Directors of Hudson Gardens for their work overseeing the design and development of the Gardens, which were eventually transferred to the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District. The Gardens continue to be a treasured community asset visited by thousands of visitors every year.

Marilyn was also active in her church community. She served on the Holy Trinity Church Council, was a member of many, many committees overseeing countless special projects at the Church, and sang in the choir until 2023. 

 When she turned 56 years old, Marilyn decided that her work in the community and in the Church wasn’t challenging enough, so she decided to go to law school at the University of Denver. She earned her law degree in 1988 and embarked on a 25-year career as a lawyer working for the Colorado Judicial Department.

 Despite her busy volunteer and work schedules, Marilyn always made time for her family. She was a devoted wife, sister, mother, grandmother, and aunt. After Alvin passed away suddenly in 1993, Marilyn fulfilled their lifelong dream of building a cabin on their property near Steamboat Springs. She enjoyed welcoming friends and family to her mountain retreat. After her two beloved grandsons, Christopher and CJ, were born, Marilyn made time to help care for them and, as they grew older, she attended their swim meets and basketball games cheering them on and celebrating every success.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband Alvin (1993) and her sister Dorothea (2014). She is survived by her daughters Gretchen (Ernest) and Heidi (Jeffrey), grandsons Christopher and Carl (CJ), step-granddaughter Savannah (Justin), her brother John, sister Kathryn (Peter), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. We will miss her very much.

The family will host a visitation at Drinkwine Mortuary in Littleton on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, from noon to 1 p.m., followed by a graveside service at Littleton Cemetery. 

A celebration of life service for Marilyn will be held later this summer at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Littleton, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Marilyn’s name.  

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