Marilyn Jean Bale, 90, of Mattawan, Michigan, passed away peacefully of natural causes at Maple Lake Assisted Living, Paw Paw, on July 2, 2015, one month after celebrating her 90th birthday. Marilyn was born to Vera and Everett Broxholm in Albion, Michigan on May 23, 1925 and graduated from Albion High School in 1943. She attended Bronson Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she fulfilled her life-long dream of becoming a nurse. She met her future husband, James (Jim) F. Bale, in Kalamazoo while a student at Bronson; they were married on November 23, 1947. After graduating with a registered nurse (RN) degree from Bronson in 1947, she worked at Clark Equipment, Buchanan, Michigan and spent the final years of her nursing career with the thoracic surgery group of Harrison, Rasmussen, Basinger, Kim and associates in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Marilyn loved nursing and continued to practice into her mid-70s. With her late husband, she lived in Kalamazoo, Buchanan, Three Oaks and Rockford, Michigan and in Sun City Center, Florida, before settling in the Paw Paw-Mattawan area. Marilyn enjoyed baking, sewing, knitting, playing bridge, and traveling with her husband. She loved crafts and taught herself to weave marvelous baskets.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 50 years, Jim, who died in 1997. For several years after her husband's death, Marilyn lived on the family farm on Red Arrow Highway between Paw Paw and Mattawan, Michigan. There, she spent her time gardening, reading, seeing grandchildren and tending to her beloved cat, Job. Marilyn is survived by her sister, Carol Broxholm Pilarski, of Naples, Florida, two sons, James Jr. (Martha) of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Michael (Bregida) of Kalamazoo, Michigan, five grandchildren, Zachary, Jeffrey, Margaret, Michael and Tyler, three nieces and a nephew. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 120 Pine St., Paw Paw, MI. Marilyn will be buried next to her husband in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw, prior to services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marilyn's name to the First Presbyterian Church and Eleanor's Pantry, Paw Paw, Michigan. Share a memory or sign the guestbook at: www.adamspawpaw.com