Marilyn Rae Frank

November 24, 1934 - March 5, 2024

Marilyn Rae Frank, 89, of Sterling passed away Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at Sterling Health and Rehabilitation Center from Alzheimer's. She will be missed and remembered for her love of family and devotion as a mother. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, May 3, 2024 at Tennant Funeral Home with Inurnment following at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Marilyn was born November 24, 1934 in Sterling to Harvey and Dorotha Harclerode.

She grew up in Sterling and was a natural athlete from an early age, playing softball from her teens and well into her 40s when she would take her six children to Pioneer

Park Softball Field to watch her play. She even played softball with her oldest daughter, coached her middle daughter playing Wildcat softball and watched her granddaughter playing the same. She was an avid bowler, bowling in leagues locally, sometimes bowling with her husband, as well as her mother, and regularly participating in the sport well into her 70s.

Not only was she a loving mother and grandmother, beloved daughter, sister and aunt, Marilyn was also a devoted wife to her husband she affectionately called, Chuck. She was strong and resilient while raising her children on the farm 'at Atwood' and later on the ranch she purchased with her husband in the 1970s north of Merino. She was well known as a fantastic cook with plenty of food ready for anyone who might show up at meal time. A local veterinarian's comment to her son when showing up to the ranch consistently at lunchtime was, "Don't you know your mom is the best cook in the valley?"

She enjoyed attending school activities with her children and grandchildren, and also enjoyed sewing and crocheting, making numerous afghans and blankets for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews. In later years, you would see her with her friends having coffee and conversation at Daylight Donut. She worked many years in local businesses and grocery stores, and many people remember her as a greeter at Wal-mart, retiring in her late 70s. She made the world's best peanut brittle, even being described as the Peanut Brittle Lady on the local radio station. She loved her hometown of Sterling. In later years she enjoyed spending Friday evenings at July Jamz where she could always visit with family and friends.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Joan Waldmann; her husband, Carl Frank Sr.; her sons Rodney Frank and Patrick Frank; and her grandson Justin Lang.

She is survived by her four children, Carla Propst (Kenneth) of Houston, DE; Carl

Frank Jr. of Sterling,

CO; Lynell Frank (Socorro Avitia) of Sterling, CO; Raelene Rhodes (Les) of Merino, CO; six grandchildren, John Lang, Jason Lang, Janai Frank, Christina Frank, Ana Avitia and Carl Frank III; three great-grandchildren Masi Wells, Dillon Lang and Tucker Frank; sister Luann Lambertson, and sister-in-law, Barbara Coster.

She will be missed by all her family and friends.