Marilyn Gruenler Sloan
Aug 1, 1936 -
Mar 24, 2020
Marilyn Gruenler Sloan left this world as a peaceful servant on March 24, 2020, after a valiant battle with brain cancer (Glioblastoma). Born Aug. 1, 1936, to Arthur and Mildred (Simpson) Gruenler in Denver, Colo., Marilyn is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Charles Sloan of Anchorage; sons, Douglas (Helen) of Kenai, Thomas (Pamela) of Eagle River, Benjamin (Chung) of Houston, Texas; and daughter, Carrie (Michael Rice) of Huntsville, Ala. She also leaves behind her brother, Don Gruenler (Yeti) of Denver; nephew, Steve Gruenler (Diana) of Parker, Colo., and their sons Brett and Travis. Last but not least, she leaves four fun and awe-inspiring grandchildren: granddaughters, Courtney Sloan Scoby (Jeremiah) of Wasilla and Katelyn Sloan Currier (Adam) of Eagle River; and grandsons, Nicholas Sloan and Samuel Sloan, both of Kenai; as well as her sweet rescue cat, Lady Isabelle of Sloan Manor Eastside.
Marilyn's father was a high school principal in Denver and Marilyn wanted to follow in his footsteps. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU) where she met her future husband Charlie, and was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She graduated from CU in 1958 with a degree in elementary education. From 1975 until her retirement in 2005, Marilyn dedicated her life to her kindergarten and second grade students at College Gate Elementary School in Anchorage. After 30 years in the classroom, Marilyn continued her passion as an active substitute teacher at College Gate through 2019. She was an inspiration, mentor and good friend to many educators, including to her granddaughters who chose to carry on her teaching legacy - something that made her especially proud.
Marilyn was often described by her children as, "The most famous woman we know." On any given day for nearly five decades, current and former students and parents would pursue her down grocery aisles, in movie theater snack lines, and on Hawaiian beaches and European cobblestone streets - always just wanting to say hello and ask if she remembers them. She always did.
Teaching was a means to her other true passion - travel. Marilyn was more than just a globetrotting adventure lover, she considered it a privilege to learn about other cultures and viewed travel as continuing education credits for life. She effortlessly navigated luggage, languages and leisure, traveling to more than 47 countries on six continents, with her husband, children, childhood friends and her very, very best friends in the "Wednesday Night Knitters."
Everyone agreed that Marilyn was an amazing storyteller - expertly weaving tales of hilarious adventures and mayhem. Each story was filled with laughter and details, taken from her life of global journeys: walking with the lions in Africa, eating unidentified foods in Asia, hiking across the English countryside and the Scotland moors, riding Elephants in Thailand, and cruising as far south as Cape Horn and the northern waterways of Europe and Russia. She also took on adventures closer to home - comical camping adventures in the family Airstream and bravely volunteering as a Bartlett High School Band chaperone for 12 years.
She loved traditions - gifting Crazy Shirts to her family on Christmas Eve, the Fourth of July in Seward, and family vacations to Maui. She enjoyed a hot mug of hazelnut coffee and a banana for breakfast and a glass of boxed white zinfandel before dinner. And she was a devout follower of Curves Fitness for Women and Benny's Food Wagon (there are stories behind all of these, of course).
She worked out almost every day for 40-plus years and also enjoyed long walks along the Coastal Trail and searching for the perfect garage sales with her friends. She is a 35-plus year member of the PEO Sisterhood, Chapter C, Anchorage, and a member of St. John United Methodist Church in Anchorage. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled sometime this summer, due to the precautions for the Covid-19 virus.
