Marlyn Kay (Leonard, Logan) Gillispie was born June 30, 1943, in Fresno, California. She passed into eternal life peacefully on Oct. 23, 2025, surrounded by her family while at Tabitha Nursing Home.
Marlyn was best known for her heart to help others. In the 1970s, she was actively involved in the League of Women Voters in Manhattan, Kansas. In the 1980s, she settled in Lincoln, and was employed at various non-profit organizations, such as The Wildlife Federation, The Malone Community Center and The League of Human Dignity. During her retired years in Crete, she was an active member of United Church of Christ and spent countless volunteer hours taking her registered therapy dog to visit people at the hospital, nursing homes and the children of St. James Catholic School, where they could practice reading to her therapy dog. Throughout her life, Marlyn also enjoyed the outdoors, cooking, sewing and gardening.
In addition to helping others in need, the most important things to Marlyn were family, friends, pets and her faith. She was example of unconditional love to everyone who crossed her path. She displayed extraordinary perseverance and strength throughout her life, always saw the silver lining, never doubted God’s goodness, and never wavered in showing grace and forgiveness at every opportunity.
She is survived by her current husband, Terry Gillispie of Crete; her first husband, J David Logan of Lincoln; her son, Aaron (Jocelyn) Logan of Ames, Iowa; her daughter, Rachel (Brian) Golightly of Maryville, Missouri; her stepson, Chad (Leanne) Gillispie of Lincoln; stepdaughter, Jamie (Mitchell) Corder of Las Vegas, Nevada; half-siblings, Kathy Palacios, Lynit Schreiber, Donna Schreiber, Bert Schreiber and Rita Elliot; grandchildren, Shelby Golightly, Jackson Golightly, Jaren and Genna Golightly, Parker Logan, Reece Logan; and step-grandchildren, Tristan Gillispie, Jessie McConnell, Harley and Caiden Crouch, Alexandria Corder, Taven Corder, Julian Corder and Esmeralda Corder.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene Leonard and Moyna (Hickman, Leonard) Schreiber; step-parents, Vivian Leonard and Norman Schreiber; half-sister, Cheryl Schreiber; and step-ister, Linda Dellis.
The funeral service will be Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. at the United Church of Christ in Crete, followed by a burial service in Nemaha.
Arrangements by Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete.
