Marilyn Joy DeRoos

Marilyn Joy DeRoos, age 92, passed away on March 9, 2026. Born in Eddyville, Iowa on December 3, 1933 to Reverend Henry and Harriet (Dykshorn) Franken, she married Gelvin (Gil) DeRoos on September 4, 1953. Together they raised three children, sharing a deep and abiding love that Gil expressed daily by telling her, “you are beautiful.” Marilyn was known for her gentle, encouraging, and loving spirit, and for the quiet presence of Christ that shone through her life.

After sixteen years as a stay-at-home mother, Marilyn earned an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Mankato State University and taught kindergarten in the Albert Lea, Minnesota School District. Following the family’s move to Des Moines, Iowa in 1979, she received a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Drake University. She then taught in the Des Moines School District’s special education resource program for four years and in the Home Instruction Assistance program for six years, touching the lives of countless children and families with compassion and care.

A longtime active member of Meredith Drive Reformed Church, Marilyn led women’s ministry, facilitated a Grief and Loss class, organized outreach and educational programs, and participated faithfully in Bible studies. She possessed a beautiful singing voice and shared it for over fifty years in the church choir and other musical groups. She was a gracious hostess who delighted in setting elegant tables, and she welcomed newcomers, immigrants, and those displaced by Hurricane Katrina into her home and community with warmth and generosity. Marilyn also served as a Stephen Minister, volunteered as a reading mentor in public schools, and carefully compiled and annotated family history booklets, treasuring her Dutch heritage.

Marilyn embraced life with a spirit of adventure and a “can do” attitude that she passed on to her children. She traveled extensively with Gil, her family, and a close group of friends known as the “Nashville Seven,” creating cherished memories across the globe. She is lovingly remembered by her family, especially her grandchildren, for the themed photo albums she created each year, for attending their countless sporting events, recitals, and celebrations, and for simple, joyful moments spent together. She is survived by her children, Brenda (Jim) Hartje of Ankeny, Iowa, Bradley (Elizabeth) DeRoos of Fairmont, West Virginia, and Gary (Teresa) DeRoos of Huntington Beach, California; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and her sister, Carol Mapes of Pella, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband Gil, a grandchild Ethan Hartje, and three brothers, Darrell, David, and Robert Franken.