Marilyn Lance

Marilyn Lance went home to be with the Lord early Thursday morning the 12^th of November. It was sudden and were taken by surprise, she had not been ill, and had maintained a very active lifestyle.

She was born 22 September 1925, and raised in Erie Pa., where she attended Academy High School where her short hand skills were noticed, landing her a job upon graduation. WWII was going on, shortly at its end, she met Ervin Lance at a dance, they married several months later. To secure her hand, Ervin had to promise her father, to keep her in Erie and not move away, he did and they did

During those early years, she worked at a tank factory, many office situations, then at a local bank in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio where she retired from.

By the time they were 28 or 29, they realized they would have to adopt if they were going to start a family. I came along a few months after they applied.

She & dad moved to went to San Diego for a job, where she found the Lord, after being religious but not saved. She began a lifelong change of growth, reading the Word and prayer. Of note: she has read her Bible cover to cover, yearly, for 38 years! As result, she lived it, every moment of each day. She waited many years for dad to follow her in finding the Lord, and rejoiced when he did.

Mom and dad lived near Akron Ohio the remainder married life, then came to Florida in 2006 where they enjoyed snow free living and being closer to family.

Mom had some things she never doubted her salvation, and never pondered that she could lose it. She would refer you to: John 10: 28-29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

For comfort for the future: She took this following verse at face value: Thessalonians 4:13, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Her life took on a remarkable turn after dad died. At 85, she seemed to speed up, taking on more activities. She became involved politically, had our local congressman on speed-dial, contacted our governor about on issues that concerned her, and had time for friends and family.

She moved to a condo after dad passed, and became the unofficial welcome wagon to new folks at her condominium. When they’d go back north, she’d give them a stamped card to mail, letter her know they got back alright.

She enjoyed listening to her Moody radio, repeats of the Andy Griffith show, Gun Smoke, and other old westerns. Fox News was her go-to station for news.

In less than 48 hours after she passed (Thursday morning) many things have to come to light about mom. When added together, all her activities led us to the conclusion that she was actually in full time ministry up till her death. It focused mainly on corresponding through cards, calls, & prayer.

• She had had a relationship spanning 45 years of praying & writing to a multitude of missionaries, up till her departure.
• Years earlier she became convinced that handing out tracts was of eternal benefit, no one she met, went away without one.
• Many have called, telling us of the cards mom would sent them, and what that encouragement meant to them. Some have saved them, even after several years.
• She would correspond with our youth in response to their prayer requests, taking an interest in their student life & their missionary trips.

She cherished these events each week:  Seeing her church family each week. She seldom missed, to people who knew her: she was just a hug waiting to happen.

• She was deeply invested in the life of the church, it’s mission trips, those in volunteer ministry as well as full time staff.
•  She seemed particularly interested in the lives of those families with children, and sought to pray for them no matter what their age, following up to see how the Lord worked in their lives.
• She volunteered weekly in our clothing closet, & loved the women she worked with there.
• She went to a local beauty school each Thursday. She usually had new girl each time to do her hair, and saw it as an opportunity to witness with a tract, a word, and to write down their prayer requests.

For me, the cherished event each day was the call I made on my way home from work, she always started with: “How was your day?” When I go back to work Monday, this will be a huge void, we were so close and she was my buddy.

Nancy had several outings with her each week, she too will miss those times, she told me, “I really got to know Marilyn in a much deeper level since your dad passed.”

The grandsons: Bert & his wife Michelle have Nathaniel and Micah. Then Brian: his wife Paula and their two boys Zachariah and Jacob, were very much loved by mom. She prayed for each boy as they grew and progressed through each stage, as well as their children. Over the years she enjoyed talking on the phone to them and since moving to Florida in 2006, seeing them all on a regular basis

After all is said and done, this is what we know: when God called her to love people, she said “yes”, she went to beauty schools for the past 15 years initially to save money, but became involved in their lives by consistently praying for them, and loving on them till her final appoint the week prior to her passing.

Was the movie, ‘War Room’, based on her life? No, but it does express what one person can do in the Kingdom, who is willing to listen to the Lord, seek His face daily, and obey Him.