Marilyn E. (Auld) Deater, age 86, of Grand Rapids, went Home to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

She was born on October 21, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, to loving Christian parents, Edmund and Charlotte Auld. She was the fourth of five children. As a girl, Marilyn was a Brownie Scout and a Girl Scout and was in the Fashion Club in High School. She was also president of the Happy Hearts and later the Happy Hyenas Clubs and collected the dues. Her nephews and nieces, particularly from their younger years, can recall her sense of humor. Another of her hobbies was playing the piano.

Marilyn married Daniel J. Deater from Muskegon, Michigan on June 8, 1968. Their niece, Lois Litty, fondly remembers being their 4-year-old flower girl at their wedding, and another niece, Susan, age 7,, sang their chosen hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, at their reception. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary the day of their great-niece’s wedding in 2018. In all, they were married nearly 58 years. Dan loved her dearly.

Marilyn took the Business curriculum for secretarial classes and Bookkeeping and progressed in her career to various levels of administrative and executive secretarial level positions, the last being at a New Jersey law firm. She worked until their retirement in 2007, at which time they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, near family.  Dan had been an airplane and truck mechanic.  

Marilyn & Dan were members of Hawthorne Gospel Church in New Jersey, where they enjoyed singing in the choir, and later became members of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, where Marilyn again sang in the choir.

Marilyn and Dan also enjoyed travel over the years and made a number of memorable trips together. One they fondly spoke of was a cruise to Bermuda, where Dan had been stationed while in the Air Force. In later years they would enjoy going for a drive to Lake Michigan or to the airport viewing area to watch the planes, or just a trip to Culver’s, a favorite destination.

Growing limitations have been on-going since September 2023, resulting in a journey of several moves. Through many challenges throughout their marriage, including treatment for cancer in later years, from which Marilyn was a survivor, and notably in the most recent years, God has indeed been faithful.

Marilyn’s favorite Scripture verse was John 5:24, “He that hears my word and believes on him that sent me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

Survivors include husband, Daniel; siblings, James Auld and Violet “Bonnie” (Larry) VanHouten; nieces and nephews, Patty (Ed) Kulahli, Pam (Jim) Gilday, Doug (Wendy) Auld, Eileen Atwood, Tedd (Sharon) Litty, Susan (Steve) Main, Lois Litty, Heidi (Bryan) Weinmann, Jim (Becky) Auld Jr., Paula (Doug) Lindley; many great nieces, great nephews, and cousins.

Preceded in death by siblings, Lawrence Auld and Priscilla Litty; sisters-in-law, Esther Auld and Carol Auld; brother-in-law, Fred Litty.

Visitation will be held from 12:00pm until 1:00pm on Monday, February 9, 2026, at Calvary Church, 707 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids. A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00pm. Burial will be at Rosedale Memorial Cemetery.