Marilyn Louise Rutherford Coughlen
Marilyn Louise Rutherford Coughlen was born 17 October 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to George Augustus Rutherford, a prominent builder and civic leader in Albuquerque and Della Rosella Welsby
(nee Singer) Rutherford. She grew up in Albuquerque except during WWII when her father moved to California to supervise numerous construction projects for the military war effort. She attended Bandelier grade school, Jefferson Junior High and Highland High School, graduating in 1957.
Her home was a place where her friends were welcome. She attended the University of New Mexico for three years, majoring in elementary education, becoming a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority where she was elected President of her pledge class and President of her sorority.
Her future husband, Thomas D. Coughlen, nicknamed Tucker, met Marilyn on a blind date in 1958. By the fifth date, Tucker knew Marilyn was the woman he wanted to marry and they became pinned and then engaged while at the University. Once Tucker was commissioned they were married in Albuquerque on 17 September 1960. By coincidence they were married on her in-laws 25th wedding anniversary. The day after the wedding, the newlyweds drove to Long Beach, California. Marilyn was introduced to the life of Navy wife as Tucker immediately left for weekly training cruises in preparation for a six month deployment to the far Western Pacific Fleet. She completed her seventh semester but began following Tucker to his future duty stations ashore and at sea during which her two children, David Allen and Kathleen (Missy) were born in Long Beach, California, and Fort Ord (near Monterey) California.
She was happy to return to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1965 to 1968, until they settled in Baytown, Texas when Tucker began work for Humble Oil Company, now ExxonMobil. Marilyn became active in the community, where her leadership talents were again recognized. She held several officer positions in the Baytown Junior Forum, a woman’s service organization, including Secretary, President, and Follies Chairman. Volunteer work for Junior Forum led to leadership positions as vice President of the YMCA where she helped introduce the soccer program and coached for several years.
She was President of the Cerebral Palsy Center, now the Bay Area Rehabilitation Center, when the director suddenly resigned, leaving Marilyn to organize the summer program, manage the center and hire a new director. She was a cub scout Den Mother, creating joyful camping experiences in the woods for her son and the rest of the Den that included a massive night-time capture the flag game with other Packs.
Marilyn served her churches faithfully, Westminster Presbyterian and later First/Faith Presbyterian. She loved teaching younger children and became a beloved Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. She was asked to do flower arrangement for friend’s special events and for the church sanctuary.
She so enjoyed working in a part time clothing store that she and two friends opened a women’s boutique in Webster/Clear Lake area called Tres Amie, or three friends. She became a semi-full time substitute teacher after Tres Amie, focusing on long and short term assignments at Travis Elementary. She achieved a bit of notoriety for being able to employ and adapt her special techniques to manage classrooms and encouraging students to learn.
The highlights and love of her life were experiences with her grandchildren, Kyle and Sean Coughlen. Until they started school, she spent one day a week with them visiting the zoo, museums and riding the "choo-choo" in Herman Park. She was a faithful daughter, traveling frequently to Albuquerque to comfort her parents as they aged.
Marilyn was a woman of deep beauty, carrying herself with class and elegance. She was admired for her home decorating and cooking, and always had a welcoming home. Her green thumb created an enjoyable yard. In her later years she developed lung issues. She died peacefully from pneumonia in her sleep on 18 January 2018.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Georgia Ann (nee Rutherford) Darwin. She is survived by her husband, Tucker, son and daughter-in-law, David and Kathy (nee Davis) Coughlen, grandsons Kyle Allen and Sean David Coughlen, son-in-law Brian Joseph Parrett; sister-in-law Patricia (Penny) (nee Coughlen) and husband Lloyd Connour; nephew Thomas Jackson and wife Torrey Park, niece Elizabeth Jean (nee Park) Wondell and daughter and son Mackenzie and Caden Wondell; nephew Ben and wife Kathryn (nee Parker) and their children Paige and Alex Darwin, and nephew George Darwin and his son Evan Darwin. Although her daughter Kathleen Coughlen (Missy) Parrett survived her, Kathleen died in Austin from pancreatic cancer before Marilyn’s celebration which will be held this Friday at 5PM at the Albuquerque Country Club, 601 Laguna Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, (505) 247-4111. If you would like to attend the celebration, please RSVP to Tucker at 281-4243391 or preferably Coughle n@hal-pc.org and leave a message with your name, contact information and number in your party. People are encouraged to make a donation in Marilyn’s name to the Bay Area Bay Area Rehabilitation Center, Fund Development, 5313 Decker Drive, Baytown, Texas 77520