Marilyn Jean Aiken

Marilyn Jean Aiken née Nystrom, 92, passed away peacefully at her

home in Colorado Springs after a long illness on Sunday evening,

November 9, 2025. She was the beloved wife of 68 years of John Robert

Aiken, the cherished mother of seven children, loving grandmother of 28

and great-grandmother of 43. She played an important role in each of

the lives of her loved ones and numerous friends up until the day of her

death. Her joyful spirit, practical good sense, wisdom, and strong love for

the Lord Jesus will be deeply missed by all who knew and were loved by

her.

 

Marilyn was born in the midst of the Great Depression on August 28,

1933, the first-born child of Arnold and Martha Rosalie Nystrom (Larson),

in the predominantly Swedish town of Turlock, California. She grew up

knowing how to « stretch a dime », how to creatively make do with very

little, how to be content in every circumstance. Her childhood was

marked by the hardships of both the Depression and then the Second

World War, but the life lessons learned through those difficult times,

coupled with her strong faith in God and involvement in the Turlock

Evangelical Free Church, were foundational in her life as an adult.

Marilyn studied hard in her adolescence to become an accomplished

violinist, pianist and organist and took great joy in making music, playing

throughout her life in the churches she served and at home for fun. She

graduated from Kaiser School of Nursing in Oakland, California in 1956

and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of

California, Berkeley in 1957. Marilyn married her husband, John Robert

Aiken (affectionately known as “Bob” to her and the family) on June 15,

1957. “I wonder if we will have children,” she mused, never imagining

that she would become the mother of seven and grandmother to many,

many more. What an incredible legacy to leave to her descendants!

 

After Marilyn married, she embarked on a lifetime of adventures with her

husband and family. Seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in

the Chicago area was followed by a first pastorate in Arthur, Iowa

(1963-1968) and then by 14 years as a missionary with the Evangelical

Free Church of America overseas mission in Zaire (now Democratic

Republic of the Congo), Africa (1969-1983). After John and Marilyn

resigned as overseas missionaries, Marilyn went on to have a fruitful

second nursing career in various fields and institutions, and in the 1990s

shared with John further pastorates in El Cerrito, California and

Pleasanton, California. Retirement in 1999 brought the family a further

surprise when John and Marilyn decided to buy an acreage back in

Arthur, Iowa. They had been gone for thirty years! During that time

(2000-2013) Marilyn enjoyed gardening, participating in women’s

ministry at the Arthur Evangelical Free Church, serving on the local

hospital board, and partnering with John during his numerous interim

pastorates. In September of 2013 Marilyn and John moved to Colorado

Springs where they have lived independently in their own apartment in

the home of their son, John, and his wife, Ginger. These last years,

despite the gradual decline of Marilyn’s health, have been rich in family

time and were blessed by much joy and laughter. Marilyn rejoiced in

living closer to some of her children and grandchildren, after a lifetime of

journeying with John!

 

Marilyn was not only a nurse, she was also a homemaker who

welcomed many, many people over the years into her life and home.

Hospitality was a core part of who she was, and it is a gift that she has

passed down to her children. “What was one more person to add to the

dinner table?” she would ask, and there were many who were blessed by

her delicious food and the warmth of fellowship shared around the table.

Marilyn enjoyed gardening, and particularly loved roses. She made

delicious rhubarb strawberry jam for many years, and many folks were

the grateful recipients. In the past twenty years she has knitted

innumerable afghans for all the grandchildren graduating from high

school and/or getting married, as well as sweet and soft baby afghans to

welcome all the new great-grandchildren. With every stitch her love and

prayers for each child were poured out upon them, a tangible blessing

upon their lives. Marilyn and John were the very best of friends

throughout their marriage, a great testimony to all their family and friends

of what it means to cling to one another “for better, for worse.” They were

friendly but serious rivals in their daily games of Rummikub, and Marilyn

was often the silent but deadly winner of the card game, “Oh Dear!” She

modeled the example of how to both lose and win gracefully. Marilyn

mastered the computer and wrote “Mom’s Weekly” to all her children

and their spouses, beginning when she retired to the farm in Iowa. For

the past 13 years she has written “Grandma’s Monthly” to all the older

great-grandchildren. Thus, she kept everyone in this large family

informed of various life happenings, sharing words of counsel and

pertinent Scriptures, as well as stories from her own life. She was the

glue that held everyone together and her voice will be greatly missed.

 

Marilyn is survived by her husband, John R. Aiken of Colorado Springs;

her children Jeanne (W. Benjamin) Beckner of Colorado Springs; John

M. (Ginger) Aiken of Colorado Springs; Jeffery (Debbie) Aiken of Ocala,

Florida; Jerold (Nancy) Aiken of Franklin, Tennessee; James (Lisa)

Aiken of Hilmar, California; Janet (Michael) Davis of Wheaton, Illinois;

and Joel (Amy) Aiken of Colorado Springs; 28 grandchildren and 43

great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Arnold

and Martha Rosalie Nystrom of Turlock, California; her brothers Harlan

(Beverly) Nystrom of Santa Rosa, California, and Dr. Gerald (Elly)

Nystrom of Redding, California. She is survived by her brother Ronald

(Rita) Nystrom of Turlock, California, and her sister, Susan Nystrom of

Turlock, California, as well as eight nieces and nephews.

 

A celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held at 10 am on Saturday,

December 6, 2025, at the First Evangelical Free Church, 820 North 30th

Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904, with luncheon to follow.

The service will be live streamed from the church homepage,

1freechurch.org.

(Scroll down to the YouTube link and click on it to be taken to the live

feed.)

 

Memorial gifts in Marilyn’s name can be given to:

First Evangelical Free Church, 830 North 30th Street, Colorado Springs,

Colorado 80904.

Or to any of the ReachGlobalAfrica projects sponsored by ReachGlobal,

the missions arm of the Evangelical Free Church of America, at

give.efca.org.

 

“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

Psalm 116:15