Marilyn J. Green

Marilyn Jean Olson Green (91) of Moorhead, MN, died on Saturday, November 1, 2025. Marilyn was born April 25, 1934, in Havre, MT to John Paul Olson and Mayetta Eggen Olson. She graduated from Havre High School in 1952 and from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, in 1956, where she was a proud member of the Concordia Concert Choir. On July 24, 1955, she married David R. Green at First Lutheran Church in Havre, MT. Together they raised two daughters, Maria and Rebecca.

Marilyn loved teaching and she loved her students. She taught school at U.S. Air Force schools in France; in Elgin, IL; in Robbinsdale, MN; at Ben Franklin in Fargo, ND; and at the secondary schools in Moorhead, MN. Marilyn took graduate studies at Moorhead State University, focusing on teaching the gifted. She enjoyed developing gifted programming at Moorhead High School. As one of seven regional directors for Odyssey of the Mind (OM), Marilyn served on the MN State Board for OM. She received OM’s “Outstanding Performance” award. Marilyn was also selected as Education Teacher of the Year by the Fargo-Moorhead YWCA Women of the Year Awards.

Marilyn was active in community work, participating in the Fargo-Moorhead Junior League, later serving on the FM Junior League Board. Her primary projects focused on ecology along with acting/puppeteering events. Marilyn’s faith was strong. She loved her church, directing Christmas pageants, singing in the choir, and teaching Sunday School.

Being at the lake home with her family and her ‘lake family’ was always special. During the winter months, Marilyn and David went on wonderful ski trips with family and friends. Marilyn loved to travel. Living in France for a year allowed her and David to visit 11 different European countries. She went to Norway five times to visit her cherished Norwegian relatives. She was pleased whenever relatives came to MN to visit or stay with her. Marilyn and David also traveled due to David’s involvement in Rotary, making lasting friendships along the way. Marilyn instilled her love of travel in her family with whom she went on many adventures.

Marilyn and David divided their time during their retirement years between their lake home in MN and their winter home in Mesa, AZ. Genealogy, bridge, travels, reading and visiting family and friends were her favorite past times. Marilyn was an unabashedly proud grandma, feeling happiest when attending the theatre performances, sports activities, music concerts and recitals of her three granddaughters.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband David of 58 years, her parents John and May Olson, and her brother Wayne Olson. She is survived by her daughters Maria Green Cowles (Adam Cowles) of Bethesda, MD; Rebecca Green (David Zola) of Grand Forks, ND; her sister Gail (Frank) Searl of Havre, MT; her nieces and a nephew. She felt blessed to have three beloved granddaughters: Annika Cowles, Mykaela Zola, and Merete Cowles.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Cormorant Lutheran Church at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026. Scandinavian desserts and coffee will be served after the service. Interment will be at the Cormorant Lutheran Church Cemetery later this summer. Memorials may be sent to the David R. Green & Marilyn Green Endowed Scholarship at Concordia College or to Cormorant Lutheran Church.