Marian Ruth Wildermuth

Marian Ruth (Mussell) Wildermuth, 93, passed away peacefully at noon on Sunday, February 11, 2018.

She was born on April 8,1924, in Independence, Missouri, to Frank and Brirene Mussell and had a sister Marjorie Alice (husband Earl Bandlow), all who preceded her in death. She was a woman of unwavering faith who grew up in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now named the Community of Christ Church.

Marian was raised in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Mason City, Iowa, graduating from Mason City High School in 1942. She attended Graceland College (now University) in Lamoni, Iowa, graduating with an Associate Degree of Arts. There she met Blair L. Wildermuth, who went off to join the Navy and WWII, who came back, and married Marian. They would have been married 70 years in June.

Marian’s passion was first and foremost her family and as a homemaker, moving with Blair’s career to Michigan, Missouri, Colorado, Maryland, Oklahoma, New York, and retiring back to Independence. Her love of motherhood and natural talents turned each house into a warm, welcoming, and gracious home, frequently open to others to share her amazing cooking and baking, or enjoy comfort as an overnight guest. Marian’s home fellowship was a testimony to her family’s heritage and lifelong dedication to the Community of Christ faith.

Given her natural gifts as an artist, Marian enjoyed her talent with strong fervor. Her own oil paintings depicted great understanding of depth and dimension, which she shared as a teacher providing instruction to desiring artists. She also loved tole and china painting, ceramics, creating porcelain dolls, knitting, crocheting, and sewing. Her artwork showed a strong sense of delicate artistry, while her sewing was heart-felt stewardship of her family’s clothing in their early years. With her mesmerizing “Chalk-Talks”, she would entertain children and adults at church services, Summer Reunions, and camps.

Marian was also a businesswoman. As an early-adopter to the mini-painting method of teaching for aspiring artists to quickly learn, she helped launch The Oil Rig teaching seminars in Oklahoma to instruct thousands of painters. She also had a detailed sense of bookkeeping that guided four family-owned Merle Harmon’s Fan Fair stores and helped with her sister’s Knitcraft operations in Independence. Marian even worked as a customer service rep in Sears’ early D.C. phone center operations to help with the family budget.

But certainly, Marian’s greatest contributions were getting her two kids off to a great start through her positions as a Scouting Den Mother, Room Mother, Emergency Medic, Music Lesson Driver, Late Night Assistant to Homework Projects, Defender of Students in trouble (or Enforcer!), and Referee of Disputes, in-house and neighborhoods.

Marian is survived by her husband, Blair Wildermuth and their two children JoLynn (husband Ray Lunger) and Mark (wife Claire Huang); grandchildren Kristin (Justin Blair) and Kyle Lunger; great granddaughters Ava, Josephine and Harlow Blair. Janis Davis (John) niece, Robert Bandlow nephew. Great nieces JoBeth Penberthy, Lindy Graham, Lori Goodpasture and great nephew Brett Bandlow.

Marian will be dearly missed by all who loved her and knew her well, yet we’re comforted in knowing that she is now living in her eternal home with her Heavenly Father. She will be remembered for her great smile, one-liner wisecracks, amazing wonders in the kitchen, warm and trusting spirit, and a willingness to help others.

A Celebration of Marian’s Life will be held at 3:00 PM, March 25th, at the Community of Christ Good Shepherd Church, 4341 Blue Ridge Blvd., Kansas City, MO. Reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to
the “Wildermuth Asian - Technology Endowed Scholarship”, Graceland University Office of Development, 1 University Place, Lamoni, IA, 50140 or Outreach International, PO Box 210, Independence, MO, 64051.