Marilyn Foss, 75, of Bismarck, ND, formerly of Ray, ND, passed away Tuesday evening, September 4, 2018 at the Missouri Slope Nursing Home in Bismarck. Her funeral arrangements are with Fulkerson Funeral Home of Tioga, ND.

Marilyn Doreen Foss was born March 17, 1943, in Williston, ND to Bendick and Dora (Flaten) Berg, the fourth of four children. She was baptized and confirmed in the Ray Lutheran Church. She attended elementary and high school in Ray.

On December 15, 1961, Marilyn married her high school sweetheart, Wayne Foss. They made their first home in Williston, where she kept books for Production Credit Association. They then moved east of Ray and started farming and ranching and raising a family, having two daughters. In 1971 they purchased her childhood home in Ray, where they lived until retirement. Marilyn ran an HC route for the postal service for 28 years and helped with farming, having hauled many delicious meals to the fields throughout the years, including her mouth-watering homemade buns and baked goods. She also drove grain truck some, until she discovered a mouse in the cab with her. This, needless to say, abruptly ended her grain hauling career. Marilyn and Wayne moved to Bismarck in 2011. They also enjoyed snow-birding in Weslaco, Texas, for six months out of the year. They met many friends there and made many memories. She always loved returning home to enjoy family, friends and summers in North Dakota.

Marilyn loved music and was very gifted. She played piano by ear for the first time at age three, copying a commercial jingle she had heard on the radio. Her ability to play by ear continued throughout her life and her music was enjoyed by all. She also played the trumpet and was very active in high school band; she even remained in contact with her band teacher, Mr. Froehlich, for 40-plus years after graduation. Marilyn was the church pianist/organist for Ray Lutheran for a number of years and also co-led the church’s Cherub Choir when her kids were young. She also was active in the adult choir at church and other church groups. She was a member of Ray Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church in Tioga.

Marilyn enjoyed Christian music and had a deep faith in Christ. She was very close with her family and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Marilyn was always a huge dog lover. Her dogs throughout the years always started out as normal dogs but ended up “psychotic” due to the excessive attention they received. Her family kidded her about this often.

Marilyn is survived by her husband, Wayne of Bismarck; daughters, Robin (Dean) Halseth of Bismarck and Rachelle (Richard) Liesener of Ray; 4 grandchildren, Shane Halseth and Mitchell Halseth, both of Federal Way, WA, Britta (Jacob) Foss and Tricia (Jeffrey) Simpson, both of Ray; 2 great-grandchildren, Cole and Cara Simpson; and brother, Roger (Teresa) Berg of Lewistown, MT.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Orvin Berg and Byron Berg; and sister-in-law, Judy Berg.