Marilyn Jane Sander

Celebrating the Life of

Marilyn Jane Sander

January 31, 1939 – May 18, 2026

Marilyn Jane Sander was born in Queens, New York City on January 31, 1939 to Alfred and Isabelle Sander. She was the middle child and the only daughter.

Some of Marilyn’s fondest childhood memories were living with her family in Jamaica Estates in Queens NYC. The whole family rode bicycles around the neighborhoods (with baby brother, Geof, in a basket on Dad’s bike). Marilyn and her older brother, Frank, rode their bikes everywhere. In those days all the homes were open to the neighborhood children and they had the “run” of them all.

Marilyn always had her “nose in a book” even from a very young age. She was an avid reader her entire life and shared her love of books with everyone. You could always find a “good read” by asking Marilyn for suggestions.

Marilyn moved to upstate New York when she was in her early teens, after her mother died. She attended high school in Hancock, New York, which is also where she met her first husband, Charles “Phil” Faigle. Marilyn and Phil married in 1958 and, together, they started, what turned out to become, a very successful trucking business. They had 3 children, David, Faye and Stephanie. While raising the children, Marilyn handled all the office work related to their trucking business.

Then in the early 1970’s, Marilyn decided to pursue her college degree. She enrolled at Binghamton “SUNY” University and commuted back and forth to Binghamton NY (roughly 50 miles each way) while still helping with the trucking business and raising their children. After five years of very hard work, Marilyn received her bachelor's degree in political science.

In 1978 Marilyn and Phil decided to make a big change and moved the whole family out west to Salem, Oregon. Marilyn and Phil divorced a year later with Phil and their adult son David moving back to Hancock NY, but Marilyn and her daughters stayed and put down roots in Oregon.

Marilyn’s Political Science Degree helped her to land a job at the State Capital working as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Debs Potts whom she worked for until 1985.

Then she moved to Lincoln City where she found her dream house with a great view of the ocean and another wonderful state job working for The Hatfield Marine Science Center. This time she would be working as the Office Manager in their Accounting Dept. She particularly enjoyed this job because she got to interact with all the Marine Biologists and Marine Scientists who were incredibly fun, engaging, expert field guides and great storytellers.

It was also in Lincoln City where Marilyn met her second husband, Robert (Bob) Dressler, and they married in 1995. With that second marriage, Marilyn’s family grew with the addition of three stepchildren, Rich, Diane, and Dana.

After 20 years working for the State of Oregon, Marilyn retired from the State in 1998. She and Bob then moved to Lake Oswego. Unable to let the grass grow under her feet for too long she signed up for a part-time position working as a teacher’s aide for the Lake Oswego School District with Special Needs Children where she helped children by staying by their side throughout the entire school day, helping them to navigate their classes.

After several years with the school district, she seemed to finally really retire (sort of). Then began her volunteer work at the Reruns consignment shop located at the Lakewood Center for Arts in Lake Oswego. It is here where she continued to meet even more Lake Oswegans and make more friends. She enjoyed the theatre at the Lakewood Center and often attended the plays with her friends or daughters.

Marilyn was so vibrant, energetic, and upbeat all the time. She even climbed Mt St Helens the year before it erupted with a hiking group called the Manzamas and saw Spirit Lake. She enjoyed that experience so much that she attempted to persuade her two teenage daughters to climb it with her the next year. Needless to say, we lucked out when it blew up.

Marilyn’s sudden and unexpected passing leaves our hearts aching with sadness. We know she will be missed by so many more than just us. She touched so many lives in such a beautiful way. The loss of our mother leaves such a huge void in our lives, and we know many others are feeling that void as well.

Thank you for celebrating Marilyn’s life with us today. Your presence means more to us than words can express.

Faye and Stephanie