Marilyn Pickle

Marilyn Ann (Marsh) Pickle was born July 22, 1934, to Edna Kehmier Marsh and Andrew Jackson Marsh in Enid and passed away at her home on March 4, 2026, with family by her side.

In Enid, Marilyn participated in the adventures of city life with Edna, going to the movies and the ice cream parlors, but also often on her own, taking the city bus around town, as early as the age of 6.

When Marilyn was 9, her mother passed away and her father, Andrew, concerned for Marilyn’s well-being while he was at work, sent Marilyn to live with his sister, Marietta, in Dover.

In 1945, Marilyn moved to the farm permanently to live with Marietta and Jim Bradbury, who had no children and received her as a blessing.

The city girl had moved to the country, so Marilyn gave up bus rides for horseback rides, often helping Jim move cattle from location to location, even while Marietta took the car.

Marilyn graduated from Dover High School in 1952 and was off to big city life again when she moved to Edmond where she attended Central State College (now the University of Central Oklahoma), graduating in 1955 with an education degree.

The summer following her college graduation, Marilyn went to New Jersey to work in a Quaker camp where she was a music instructor and camp counselor.

After returning to Oklahoma, Marilyn began her professional teaching career in the fall of 1955 in the Mid-Del school system in Del City.

She remained there until 1965 when she moved back to Dover and continued her teaching career in the Dover Public School, where she taught until 1981 when she retired due to health reasons which required her to slow down.

While Marilyn’s career in public school ended, her impact on others through music did not. Marilyn enthusiastically supported the Kingfisher Fine Arts Festival, which she was involved in as a participant, teacher and coordinator over a span of 70 years from 1947 through 2019.

She also served as the music minister at the First Christian Church of Kingfisher beginning in 1982, where she resurrected the choir and established a handbell choir. She held this position well into the 2000s.

Throughout her lifetime, Marilyn has influenced the lives of young and old alike, instilling in others a love for music and education. She has seen her students mature and become promising influences of their communities and treasured friends.

In 1960, Marilyn met Billy Ray Pickle, a handsome roughneck, working on a drilling rig on the family farm. They were married that fall on Oct. 16, 1960, in Dover.

Over the next 54 years, Bill and Marilyn raised their family beginning in Midwest City, then to the town of Dover and finally settling on the family farm just north of town.

Though Bill passed in 2014, Marilyn remained on the farm in the same home she and Bill had built in the early 1970s.

Bill and Marilyn had two children, Charles Andrew Pickle and George Bennett Pickle.

Marilyn struggled with health issues for much of her life due to a damaged heart as a child, scoliosis, a debilitating stroke, two battles with breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

However, she refused to allow this to define her and, with much grace and dignity, persevered through all of these challenges. Marilyn loved the Lord and even during the times her health limited her, she maintained a faithful card ministry providing love, encouragement and support to many.

She was a faithful member of First Christian Church of Kingfisher, often listening to Sunday services online and, until late last winter, attended weekly Bible study and prayer groups.

For many years, she was also a faithful member of Dover Christian Church.

Marilyn is survived by son, Charlie Pickle (wife, Alma) of Dover; brother, Jerry March (wife Sharon) of Ellsworth, Kan.; stepson Terry Pickle (wife Darlene) of Cumby, Texas; stepdaughter, Vickie Maestas of Midland, Texas; grandchildren Madilyn Pickle of the home, Andy Pickle (wife, Whitney) of Oolagah, Aryn Pickle (fiancée, Jackson Reber) of Chicago, Jesi Pickle of Dover, Callie Smith of Cordell and Buddy Pickle of Dover; and great-grandchildren Brooklyn and Baylee Smith.

Honorary pallbearers are Mark Farrar, Steve Farrar, Randy Farrar, Gene Leonard, Malcom Berry, Chase Farrar, Bobbie Nassie and Wilbur “Blue” Pickle.

Marilyn leaves such a profound legacy of faith and love which will be continued through her family and others.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the following organizations: the Dover Public School Foundation, the Kingfi sher County Retired Educators Association (KCREA) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

A memorial service for Marilyn will be 2 p.m Friday, March 13, at the First Christian Church of Kingfisher, with a reception following, under the direction of Sanders Funeral Service.