Marilyn Sue Cobb, age 84, was born at home in Plainville, Illinois on February 22, 1941, to Leta and Daniel Gallaher. She was the fourth child out of five, her siblings Barbara, Loyal, Kendall, and Joyce. She grew up on an 80-acre farm in a town of less than 250 people.

As a kid she was a tomboy, who milked the cows until one stepped on her, then they found her a safer job. She told stories of picnics, county fairs, and a stunt where she was dropped from the second story of the hay barn to the floor by her brother. They played baseball in their front yard. She enjoyed barefoot summers, berry picking, mushroom hunting, skipping rocks, and catching lightning bugs in a jar. She loved making preserves. She went to Payson Elementary & Junior High School. Attended Shiloh Church, a short walking distance from home, where she played the piano.

She met Jimmy L. Cobb in high school, through her brother Kendall, and they became engaged in high school. She was awarded the Business Award at her High School graduation in 1959. Marilyn and Jim were married shortly after graduation on June 19, 1959, and were married for 55 years, when he passed away. They moved to California early in their marriage because Jim had been stationed at Fort Ord, California and loved the weather. They also had family out there, with Jim’s only sibling, Janice and her husband, John Carroll, already living in California. After first living with Jim's sister, they bought their first home in Lynwood. They moved to Orange, then Anaheim Hills and settled in San Clemente in 1980. After 17 years, they wanted a more country feel and moved to Fallbrook. Most recently Marilyn lived in a little unincorporated area of Rainbow.

Marilyn was the quintessential working mother, always ready to make a big dinner, and throw a pie together using fruit off their own trees. She worked at Blue Goose Growers and for both the Orange Unified School District and Capistrano Unified School District. She also served as head of the Unclassified CSEA Chapter of CUSD, and had positions at Sunset Appraisals, Youth Exchange Service, and People Trak.

Marilyn was beautiful, inside and out. A complicated woman, she loved cooking, family get togethers, picnics, camping, traveling, playing cards. Cribbage, and Mahjong. She took immense joy in attending her rose garden and being outside. She was a constant supporter of anything that her family wanted to do, whether as a Girl Scout Leader, team Mom in Bobby Sox or Little League, as a Rotary Ann, to Jim while he was highly active in San Clemente Rotary, or in joining Denise in Zonta. When in San Clemente, they were members of the Palisades United Methodist Church. She joined Church of Christ in Fallbrook before her hearing loss made it quite difficult to attend and hear.

Marilyn is survived by her children, Denise Davis and Alan Cobb, daughter-in-law Debbie Cobb, her three granddaughters, Elyse Davis, Sarah and Sydney Cobb, her brother, Loyal Gallaher and sister-in-law Beverly Gallaher, sister-in-law Bobbi Gallaher, brother-in-law Larry Solter, as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family.

Her love and support for her family were immeasurable. Her laughter and smile will be greatly missed but never forgotten. She will be forever remain in our hearts.

A celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held at Alan’s home in Carlsbad, on Saturday, February 21 st , starting at 1pm. It is open ended and please RSVP to either Alan at 760-613-7371, or Denise at 949-337-5045 for further directions and information.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to England Family Mortuary, Inc.