Marilyn J. Gore, 80, of Cassopolis, passed away suddenly at her home on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010 of an apparent heart attack.

A lifelong resident of Cassopolis, she was born on Sept. 5, 1930 to Frank and Luella (Fitzgerald) Squires. She married John Kenneth Gore, her high school sweetheart, on Aug. 13, 1950 in Cassopolis. Their happy marriage endured 59 years. John preceded her in death on Sunday, March 21, 2010.

Marilyn is remembered as having taught kindergarten for Cassopolis Schools for 33 years, retiring 20 years ago. She was a founding board member for Twin County Domestic Abuse Shelter as well as for the Cass County Chapter of CASA. She was a lifelong member of the Cassopolis United Methodist Church.  Marilyn was a charter member of the WAND program in the Cass County area. She mentored several years at Sam Adams Elementary and held memberships in the Cass County Democratic Party, Diamond Lake Yacht Club, Cass County Council on Aging, Community Policing and the Sigma Kappa Sorority-Western Michigan University.

Marilyn took great pride and pleasure in her family and in her community.

Along with her husband, Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by two daughters, Janeen (Bob) Godfrey of Carmel, Ind., Jill (Tom) Vihtelic of Cassopolis; and one son, John Gore of Cassopolis; six grandchildren, Dr. David (Stacie) Godfrey of Mansfield, Ohio, Dr. Jenna (Jon Hussey) Godfrey of Redwood City, Calif., Patrick (Sarah) Vihtelic of San Francisco, Calif., Andrew Vihtelic of Chicago, Ill., John Daniel Gore of Grand Rapids, Mich. and Molly Gore of East Lansing and Cassopolis; brother, Gordon Squires of Elkhart, Ind.; nephew, Steve Squires of LaPorte, Ind.;  niece, Maureen Capshew of Lanesville, Ind.; and her cousins Lynn “Bob” Fitzgerald of Hudsonville, Mich. and Donald “Bud” Fitzgerald of Boston, Mass..

The family prefers memorial contributions to CASA, 120 North Broadway, Cassopolis, MI 49031; Cass County Council on Aging, 60525 Decatur Rd., Cassopolis, MI 49031; or Cassopolis United Methodist Church, 209 South Rowland, Cassopolis, MI 49031.

The family will have a memorial service at a later date to honor both of their parents.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Connelly Chapel, Wagner Family Funerals, Cassopolis.

Online condolences may be sent to connellychapel@frontier.com.