Marian Enyeart

Marian Enyeart, 88, passed away after a brief illness April 20, 2023, at Essentia Hospital in Fargo ND.

Marian Frances Lay was born August 5, 1934, in Vancouver, WA, the daughter of Ivan and Effie (Van Patter) Lay.  She attended school in Vancouver and then graduated from Marysville High School in Washington. 

Marian spent her next four summers atop a remote mountain in the North Cascades as a fire spotter for the US Forest Service, including an assignment to the Winchester Lookout.  She enjoyed sharing photos she’d taken of neighboring mountain goats and told of porcupines gnawing on boots she’d forgotten outside.    

She attended Everett Jr. College in Everett, Washington, then transferred to Utah State Ag. College in Logan, Utah where she completed her bachelor’s degree in physical education and minored in biology. 

It was in Logan that she met George Enyeart when she answered his campus post looking for passengers to rideshare to Washington.  They married December 27, 1956.  George persuaded Marian to follow him to the North Dakota prairies where he had accepted a position with the ND Game & Fish Dept.  They lived for a short time in Beulah, moved to Riverdale, then arranged for an old farmhouse to be moved on to property that would become their beloved home on Lake Audubon. 

Marian taught school full-time while in Beulah, then continued as a substitute teacher and Special Ed. teacher in Riverdale and then Garrison.   She also tutored homebound students.  Marian clerked for several years at Robinson Drug Store in Garrison, worked a couple of sessions as a proofreader for the ND Legislative Council, was active as a 4-H leader and fair board member, and volunteered with the ND Library Association Trustees Council and the McLean/Mercer Regional Library Board.   She also served with the ND Conference of the United Church of Christ and was active in her local Garrison church.

Marian excelled at many things including raising four daughters.  She supported and was involved in their many activities and their friends were frequent welcome guests.  She organized family summer trips to visit extended family in Washington or to camp in the mountains of western Montana.  Grandkids were often included in their later ventures, and she looked forward to hearing of their exploits and accomplishments. Marian was a gifted baker, skilled at home renovation projects and delighted in designing personal Christmas cards and letterhead stationery.  She created pen and ink /watercolor sketches and notepaper to sell at craft fairs and dabbled in fiction and non-fiction creative writing. 

Left to celebrate her life are husband, George; sister Myrna (John) Harrison; daughters Mary Ella Gilbertson of West Fargo ND, Laurel Enyeart of Malta MT, and Carrie (Patrick Arnold) Enyeart of Clinton MT; grandchildren Steven Gilbertson, Matthew (Nakita Estling) Gilbertson, and Rivers Perry; many extended family members and dear friends.    

We envision Marian’s melodic alto voice harmonizing with voices of an angel choir.  Among the chorus are daughter Paula Enyeart; her parents; sister Laverna Cobb and brother-in-law Don Cobb; and son-in-law Daniel Gilbertson. 

We will think of Marian when we see an owl…and glimpse her paintbrush dancing in the colorful rays of a setting sun.    

There will be a Celebration Service for both George and Marian, Wednesday, May 16, 2024, at 11 AM, at First Congregational Church, Garrison, ND.   Burial, with military honors, for George, will be at 3 PM, at North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND.

There will be a Celebration and Commitment Service for both George and Marian, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 10:30 AM, at Johnston and Williams Funeral Home, Ellensburg, WA.  Interment will take place at 11:30 AM, at Brick Road Memorial Park and High Valley Cemetery, Ellensburg.