Marilyn (Keiser) Petrie passed away Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, at Life’s Journey Hospice in Avon, with her two sons by her side.
Born May 1, 1926 on a farm near Center Point, Indiana, she was the daughter of Glendon Smith and Mary Francis Nelson Keiser.
After graduating Bowling Green High School in 1944 she moved to Indianapolis to work in a factory supporting the war effort. There she met Hal Petrie and they were married Sept. 13, 1945. After the war she and Hal owned and operated a tobacco stand in an office building in downtown Indianapolis and an upholstery business on the side. Hal went to work at Eli Lilly and Marilyn stayed home to raise their two sons until she went to work for the public schools first as a cafeteria worker and eventually as the cafeteria manager at Manual High School where she retired in June of 1983. After their retirement she and Hal enjoyed swimming, fishing, riding their tandem bicycle, traveling, playing cards with friends, and family events with their grandchildren. They were married 51 1/2 years when Hal passed in April of 1997.
Marilyn is survived by sister Norma Emmert of Georgetown, Illinois; brother Burl Keiser of Center Point; sons, Larry (Sherry) of Greenwood and Dale (Linda) of Crawfordsville; grandchildren Mysta, Erin, Kelly and Daniel (Emily); and great-grandchildren Marcus, Graham and Fletcher.
Marilyn will be cremated and placed at she and Hal’s favorite fishing spot during a family gathering later this spring. The family would like to thank Visiting Angel Sondra Hoskins, Whitlock Place Assisted Living and Life’s Journey of Avon for their loving care during her period of dementia and final days.
