Marilyn Van Patten

Marilyn Van Patten, 71, Bismarck, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2018, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, Bismarck. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Friday, November 2, at Church of St. Anne, 1321 Braman Ave., Bismarck. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday, November 1, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a rosary/vigil service will begin at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Mandan Union Cemetery. Marilyn was born in Mandan, ND, on April 1, 1947, to Anton and Mary (Wetch) Bullinger. She married the love of her life, Boyd Van Patten, on November 29, 1969, and they lived the majority of their life together in Bismarck. Together they had two sons, Derek and Shane, and were also blessed with two grandchildren, George and James. Marilyn was happy to be able to see both of her sons get married and she loved to spend time with her daughters-in-law, Jessie and Andrea. Marilyn’s purpose in life was to be a teacher, and after graduating from Dickinson State College she taught in the Mandan School System at Christ the King, Central, and ended her teaching career at Fort Lincoln Elementary. Over the years, she loved to keep in touch with her students and was extremely proud of their accomplishments. It was her goal to have her students be able to spell “supercalifragilisticexpialidocius,” by which the definition means, wonderful. Some of Marilyn’s greatest joys in life were traveling, spending time with family and friends, and was even known to occasionally play a slot machine or two. Marilyn loved to be around people and always had a smile on her face. The light within her will always shine bright. Marilyn is survived by her sons, Derek (Jessie) Van Patten, Bismarck, and Shane (Andrea) Van Patten, Victoria, MN; her brother, Mike (Peggy) Bullinger, Fargo; her grandsons, George and James Van Patten; and many other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Boyd Van Patten; her parents, Anton and Mary Bullinger; her father-in-law, Goldie Van Patten; and her mother-in-law, Vivian Van Patten. “A teacher plants seeds that grow forever,” in honor of Mrs. VP.