MARILYN J. CEDAR , 93, of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away peacefully Tuesday afternoon, January 23, 2018 in Accura Healthcare in Cherokee.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 29th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Rev. Eric Wright will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the church on Monday. Visitation will be on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. with the family present from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Marilyn was born on June 6, 1924 to Harry & Meta (Wixon) Hull on the family farm, rural Cherokee, Iowa. She graduated from Meriden High School in 1941 and then attended Iowa State Teacher's College (UNI) in Cedar Falls for two years earning her teaching degree. She taught in Rolfe and Storm Lake Public Schools for a few years. Marilyn was married to Paul A. Cedar on June 5, 1948 at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, Iowa.

Marilyn was an elder and very active member of the Memorial Presbyterian Church over the years. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, Catechism Classes, active in United Presbyterian Women as circle chairman and Moderator of Women of Prospect Hill Presbytery. She had served as the Commissioner to Synod of Lakes and Prairies, Moderator of Presbytery of Prospect Hill. She was one of the co-founders of Sermons Ale Carte Ecumenical Lenten Program along with Joyce Bennett and Janet Huber. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter EE of which she was a past president, Cherokee Area Archives Board, V.F.W. Auxiliary and American Legion Auxiliary. She and her husband Paul had hosted four foreign exchange students over the years.

Marilyn enjoyed reading, sewing, quilting, time spent with family, and attending her grandchildren's activities.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Paul on December 28, 2016, her sister Barbara Dull and brother-in-law Max of DeWitt, Iowa, and a brother-in-law Gene Cedar.

She is survived by her 5 children: John (Val) Cedar of Cherokee, Iowa, Marla (Tom) Kuettler of Woodridge, Illinois,; Jim (Gayle) Cedar of Cherokee, Iowa; Mark (Penne) Cedar of Cherokee, Iowa; Karen (John) Peterson of Cherokee, Iowa; 14 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren including; Jill (Cedar) & Carle Upshaw and their children Logan, Taylor & Travis Erickson, Dalton, Dakota & Dustin Upshaw, Katie Cedar & Marshall Stief, Dustin (Kelli) Hahn and their children Dominick, Davin, Dixon and Devrik, Drew Hahn & Kaye Donnelly, Whitney (Hahn) & Luke Robinson and their children Bryce, Paxton, Pierce and Paysen,  John (Laura) Kuettler, Rebecca (Jim) Van De Casteele and their children Thomas, Sam & Molly, Natalie (Jared) Barkley and their children Elise, Calista & Maddox, Michael Cedar, Ben (Julie) Cedar  and their children Cadence & Corah, Billy Cedar, Sara Peterson and daughter Ella, Libby Peterson and Eric Peterson; a sister-in-law Donna Cedar of Cherokee and her family Neil (Ashley) Cedar and their son Tysen.