//cdn.lifestorynet.com/fh/obituary-default.jpg//cdn.lifestorynet.com/fh/obituary-default.jpgObituary
Born on October 7, 1934, in Alto, Michigan, Marilyn (Oesch) Byam lived a long and beautiful life devoted to her family and friends. She married Douglas Byam in 1960, and together they raised five children. Marilyn was happiest in the kitchen, a pioneer in her early adoption of healthy cooking.
Known for her gentle strength, patience, and unwavering faith, Marilyn touched everyone she knew. She loved to sit and visit-always happy to trade stories and quick to share a laugh. She found beauty in life's simple pleasures: the lake view from her home, an after-dinner pontoon boat ride, a crossword puzzle, and tending her plants. She leaves behind a legacy of cherished family traditions and a well-loved recipe box.
She is survived by her five children: Nancy (Craig) Pieringer, Fritz (Kim) Byam, Jodi (Tom) Kennedy, Kathi (Ted) Austin, and Kristi (Scott) Mehal; twelve grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews whom she adored. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Douglas; her parents; brothers Ernest (Ellen Mae) and Joseph (Melva) Oesch; and sisters Ella Louise (Lloyd) Blough, Virginia (Derry) Schutte, Kathryn (Carl) Wheeler, and her twin sister Margaret Oesch. She was the last surviving member of her generation of Oesch children, whose father, Frederick Oesch, journeyed from Switzerland to begin a new life in America in 1904.
Funeral service will be held Monday, March 2, at 11:00 a.m. at the Apostolic Christian Church in Alto, Michigan. Friends and relatives may visit with the family on Sunday, March 1, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Home.
Special thanks to the compassionate staff at Cascade Trails; Mal from CorsoCare Hospice; Marilyn's devoted companions, Val and Andrea, from Visiting Angels; and all others who cared for her with such exceptional kindness.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in Marilyn's memory.
Her legacy of love, laughter, and sugar roll-out cookies will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew her.