Marilyn Blond Melcher passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Aug. 16 at home surrounded by her loving family and caregivers.
Marilyn had recently celebrated her 100th birthday, a century marked by curiosity, intellect, entertaining, travel and devotion to her family and community. She was the beloved wife of the late Harold Melcher, with whom she shared 70 years of love and laughter until his passing in 2020.
Marilyn was born on June 17, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Louis Blond and Helen Eisen Blond. She graduated from Sunset Hill School (Pembroke Hill) and earned an economics degree from Smith College. She maintained her interest in financial topics as a member of an investment club until recently. Her love of travel and entertaining led to her becoming a travel agent and partner in the retail store connoisseur. She was a world traveler and gracious host. She was a news junkie, too, always watching CNN. For more than 40 years, she was proud to continue her mother’s legacy at the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies, which supports scholarships for nurses. Marilyn and Harold were among the founders of the New Reform Temple.
Marilyn provided her children and grandchildren with gifts they will always remember - support for their education and the opportunity to see the world on family trips. Her home was a place for family meals, where conversation and questions were as overflowing as the food. Her home also was a welcome hangout for her children’s friends, remembered for the bowls of peanut M&Ms.
Marilyn is survived by her children, Richard (Barbara) Melcher of Chicago, Laurie (David) Benjamin of Carmel Valley, California, and Lynne (Barry Kaseff) Melcher of Kansas City; grandchildren, Lucy (John) Coady of Austin, Texas, Charlotte (Michael) Berlin of Chicago, Henry (Claire Rothrock) Melcher of Brooklyn, New York, Elizabeth (Marc) Levit of San Francisco, and David T. Benjamin of Brooklyn; and her great-grandchildren, Sophie and Emma Berlin, Archie and Hugo Rothrock Melcher and Penelope (Nell) and Theo (deceased) Levit.
Marilyn and her family are forever grateful to her dear friends, Randy Clark and Dr. Tom Maddox of San Diego, and her loving and dedicated caregivers, Bernise Coleman, Vera Coleman, Nikki Coleman, Terell Coleman, Tanika Harris-Butler, Shawn Gay and Nylo Clarke.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Helen Blond Scholarship Fund for Nursing at the UMKC Foundation; Operation Breakthrough; or Wayside Waifs.
A private family graveside service was held on Monday, Aug. 18.
Online condolences may be left for the family at louismemorialchapel.com.
