Marilynn Sollinger

Marilynn Yeatman Sollinger March 2, 1928 to February 19, 2024 Marilynn Yeatman Sollinger was born on March 2, 1928, as a snowstorm blizzard engulfed Detroit, Michigan. Her parents, Elizabeth Rust Yeatman and Lorne Ernest Yeatman owned a grocery store in the Detroit area. She and her younger brother William grew up in the now Historic Ford Homes district in Dearborn, Michigan, built to house the employees of the Ford Motor Company. In 1945 Marilynn graduated from Dearborn High School, founded in 1893, where she earned a letter in Field Hockey and many academic honors. She also excelled at dance, tap dance, and ballet. In the mid-1940s the family moved to Austin, Texas in West Lake Hills. Her father built a home and a series of small rental units out of stone from the rocky land at 201 Laguna Vista Drive. To get to her classes at the University of Texas Marilynn would hike down a steep road and take a row boat across the lake to catch a bus to the university. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1949. When teaching the Fourth Grade in Corpus Christi, Marilynn ran into a classmate from Dearborn High School, David Albert Sollinger, a Navy pilot who was stationed at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station. They soon married, and began a family of four children in 1951 while moving from base to base, state to state; Sandra and David in Norfolk, Virginia, Alma in Pensacola, Florida and Paul in San Diego, California. The family moved every year to a different city in California, Michigan, Texas, and Ohio. In 1966 the family was stationed for two years at the Iwakuni Marine Corps Station in Iwakuni, Japan. After her husband retired from the Navy, the family moved back to Austin and bought a 1920s home at 1600 Old Forest Trail in Tarrytown. Marilynn continued teaching in Austin as a substitute teacher while her four children graduated from the old Austin High School and the University of Texas. She substitute taught at every school in Austin, waking up so early to get her assignments and navigating her way all around town with paper street maps. She was always in great demand as the schools and students loved her. Marilynn is preceded in death by her parents, Lorne and Elizabeth Yeatman; her brother William; and her beloved son David Allen. She is survived by her daughters Sandra Monahan, and Alma King, and her son Paul. Marilynn was always optimistic, generous, loving, and full of life. She was a paragon of Motherhood, dedicating her life and unconditional love to her children and family. She was a talented artist, excellent seamstress, and accomplished pianist. If she wasn’t teaching school, she was teaching bible school. She was a Girl Scouts troop leader, a Boy Scouts den mother, and a Red Cross Volunteer. Christmas and holidays were always a delight for her children as she handmade many gifts and created crafts and decorations for every season, providing so many memorable occasions and memories. She loved life and gave this world almost 96 wondrous years. The family wishes to thank the wonderful and loving staff at Park Bend Health Center over the last three years. They gave her the best quality of life possible. And many special thanks to the staff at Gracy Woods who cared for Mom off and on over the last several years helping her to stay at home for so long. A graveside service for Marilynn will begin at 2:30 PM on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery, section M, 14501 N Interstate Highway, Austin TX 78660. Flowers can be sent to Affordable Burial at 13009 Dessau Rd, Austin TX 78754.

Marilynn Sollinger

March 2, 1928 - February 19, 2024