Marilyn F. Berdan, 83
Marilyn F. Berdan, summer resident of Sandpoint, Idaho, passed away peacefully May 18, 2010, in Green Valley, Ariz., due to a longtime heart condition.
A funeral mass will be held Friday, July 30, at 12:05 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sandpoint.
Marilyn Frances Berdan was born on April 17, 1927, in Chippewa Falls , Wis. She was the first child of Hubert and Mabel Berdan and was also the first grandchild to be born into the family of Fred and Sophie Berdan; later followed by 41 more grandchildren.
Marilyn’s early years growing up were in Wisconsin and Minnesota. During that time her two brothers, James and Thomas, joined the family. In the late 1930s, the family moved to Clinton, Iowa, where her baby sister, Helen was born. Marilyn attended St. Patrick’s elementary school and Mt. St. Clare Academy.
She was always a serious student and had a great affection and admiration for the Franciscan sisters who taught at both schools. After high school, Marilyn went to Marquette University for two years and then decided to pursue her interest in the merchandising world and enrolled at the Tobé-Coburn Fashion School in NYC. This was a little unnerving to her parents, but was only the beginning of many “adventures” Marilyn would present to them.
Following her graduation from Tobé-Coburn she was hired as an assistant buyer for women’s better sportswear at Carson Pirie Scott and Co. in Chicago. She was soon recognized as a talented and able player in the fashion business. After a vacation to the West Coast, Marilyn made the move to San Francisco. She became a buyer for Joseph Magnin stores, a position she held for many years before retiring and opening her own shop, The Dandelion, in Larkspur, Calif.
In the early 1990s, she embarked on another adventure by selling her home and business in the Bay Area and moving to Santa Fe to enjoy the beauty and culture of New Mexico. In 2003 she purchased a condo in Green Valley , Ariz., to be closer to her sister, Helen and her brother-in-law, Bill. A couple years later she also added a home in Sandpoint, next to her nephew, Dean Feldmeier, where she spent happy summers with his family. Marilyn’s severe heart condition prevented her from going back to her Santa Fe home these last two years which made her sad, but she enjoyed her summers in Sandpoint and winters in Green Valley .
Marilyn was always a very independent person and went after whatever she wanted and lived a very active and adventurous life. She traveled extensively throughout the world to places such as Japan, Thailand, Portugal, France and Greece. She enjoyed sailing, skiing and hiking throughout her life, belonging to the San Francisco Yacht Club as well as other organizations connected with the outdoors. She was an avid reader and benefactor of the arts and music. Her loves were diverse, ranging from opera to jazz; ballet to theater. She donated her time and financial support to various charities, schools churches, monasteries, music organizations and museums. She had a generous spirit and was always happy to be of help. Her love of beautiful things, in art, nature and even food, fueled her passion for life.
Marilyn is preceded in death by her parents, Hubert and Mabel Berdan; her brothers, James Berdan and Thomas Berdan; and her brother-in law, Bill Feldmeier. She is survived by her sister, Helen Feldmeier; and nine nieces and nephews; Cathy Weber, Karen Hoffmann, Dean Feldmeier, Mark Berdan, John Feldmeier, Susan Zucca, Thomas Berdan Anne Ryan and Kristina Berdan. She is also survived by close friend and “adopted daughter” Cathy Crelling.
Memorials may be made to Greg Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute P.O. Box 7209 Bozeman, MT 59771 www.ikat.org or The Healing Garden at Bonner Community Hospice P.O. Box 1448 Sandpoint, ID 83864.