ROANOKE, Va. – Born on Feb. 26, 1931 in Gardiner, Maine, Marilyn Iva Hanning Christopoulos passed away on May 6, 2021 at the age of 90. Marilyn was the loving wife of 66 years to John Linwood Christopoulos (deceased). She was the daughter of Claude Hanning and Dora Hannah Brown.She was predeceased by sisters Doris Hammond, Myrtle Caswell, Kay Johnson, brothers Clifford, Clifton, and Chester Erikson, Lloyd and Hubert Hanning, and survived by sister Dorothy Butler and brother Robert Hanning.Growing up on a rural farm in Gardiner and being one of 11 children, Marilyn was raised with the ethic that hard work was the key to success which she practiced everyday and passed on to her children.As a young, married woman she was devoted to raising her three children, teaching them right from wrong, how to think critically, and how to be independent. Home movies show Marilyn enjoying her family while skiing, ice skating, and sledding in winter and boating and swimming in summer.When the children were busy at school, she began working part time to supplement the family income. In 1968, chasing opportunity and because there wasn’t enough snow and cold in Maine(!), John and Marilyn moved to Rochester, N.Y., where the family thrived and where Marilyn worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).After a lifetime of snowy climates and with their children grown, John and Marilyn moved to Florida in 1979. Marilyn worked at the Boy Scouts of America until she retired and that’s when they really enjoyed the many friends they had made, basked in the warm weather, and welcomed visits from their children, other family members, and friends from around the country. Health issues in retirement eventually saw them move to Virginia in 2010 to be closer to their daughters, who took loving care of them both. Marilyn had a keen sense for home architecture, interior design, decorating, and landscaping that she put to effective use in every home she lived. In later years she put her creative talents to work by becoming accomplished at creating intricate stained glass works of art that she gave to her children and grandchildren. While not a fan of cooking, she could be found in the kitchen cleaning up and sometimes enjoying a spontaneous song and dance with John.Marilyn’s kindness, humor, warm smile, feisty nature, and generosity will be greatly missed. She is survived by her children Stephen, Kim, and Beth Christopoulos; grandchildren Jessica Lee, Sean and Colin Christopoulos; and great-grandson Atlas Lee.Mom always had a heart for animals in need. With that in mind, memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to your local animal shelter

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