Marilyn Gwen (Martin) Parizek
Marilyn Parizek passed peacefully on October 19, 2021. She was preceded in death by her parents Harley Boyd Martin and Lorena Delores Jones, by her husband of 66 years Dr. Arthur Keith Parizek, DDS, and her sister Catherine Ann Jones as well as her oldest son Steven Boyd Parizek. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Julie Parizek, her three sons: Dan (Tammy), Rick (Jay), and Marty (Kathy), and her nephew Les (Melissa) Saltzman as well as a batch of grandchildren and a growing phalanx of great grandchildren.
Marilyn was born in Maxwell, Iowa in 1932 where she thrived on her family’s farm until the untimely passing of her father. She attended West Liberty High School where she excelled as a flutist. She performed with the University of Iowa band and orchestra long before she attended the university as a student. While in high school, she toured Canada with the Canadian – American School Girl’s Band.
While at the University of Iowa, Marilyn pledged the Chi Omega Sorority. After an orchestra rehearsal, a French horn player and her tuba-playing boyfriend set her up on a blind date with a trumpet player named Keith with whom she ultimately shared a 66-year marriage.
Marilyn and Keith came to Arizona with the USAF through Luke AFB. After Keith’s service was over and they decided to make Arizona their home, Keith set up his first Arizona dental practice at 32nd Street and Bell Road in 1960. On seeing the vast expanse of patient-less desert stretching from horizon to horizon, she noted that: “Her babies were going to starve!” Pound for pound, it was her greatest miscalculation as her family thrived under the Arizona sun. That fact that she loved to cook and was astoundingly good at it helped to expand the family.
As her boys grew, she served as a den mother, PTA volunteer, and general chauffer. As her time became her own, Marilyn developed a passion for all things golf which she played into her 80s. She won club championships a number of times. She was a committee member of the USGA and attended rules conferences with the PGA where she qualified for and served as a tournament referee. She volunteered for many years at the Phoenix Open and was a volunteer with the Women’s Golf Program at ASU.
Known to her grandchildren and great grandchildren as “Nana,” and for hosting the whole family at major holidays, she will be missed. A celebration of her life will be held at the Community Church of the Verdes at 25603 Danny Lane in Rio Verde, Arizona at 11:30 am on Saturday, December 18, 2021. A reception will be held immediately after the service. Her family recognizes and appreciates the services and many acts of kindness provided by The Terraces of Phoenix, Verde Cares, and the Rio Verde Fire Department and asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Verde Cares.