Marian M. Shuler

Marian Shuler - Obituary

Marian Mitchell Shuler was born on November 29, 1932 in her family’s home near Hardesty, Oklahoma in the Oklahoma Panhandle. She was the youngest of four children born to Andrew Dow Mitchell and Flora Mae Stella Gray Mitchell.
The family journeyed to Oregon as the persistent drought and constant wind began developing in the region known as “The Dust Bowl.”
Marian was almost three years old when the family arrived in Medford, Oregon in 1935. Her home life was centered around faith, love, enjoyment of learning and a strong work ethic. Marian was a lifelong student of The Holy Bible. Striving for excellence in learning, she worked hard on her lessons and excelled in school. She enjoyed mathematics, language arts and history, as well as calisthenics and gymnastics.
After graduating from Medford High School in 1950, Marian had a scholarship and went to college at Southern Oregon College of Education in Ashland, Oregon. She was studying to be a teacher, majoring in in mathematics. She was an excellent student but left her college studies after two years. She worked at the Evangel Bookstore in Medford.
Marian met Garry Shuler during high school. She invited him to a youth social activity at the Medford First Baptist Church, where she and her family were active congregants. Before long, they were exclusively dating each other. Marian and Garry were both 1950 graduates of Medford High School. They were married at the First Baptist Church in Medford, Oregon on November 21, 1951.
Marian and Garry had two children. Their first child, Robin, was born in November 1952. Their daughter, Diana Jane, was born in May 1958.
In 1960, the family moved to Newport, Oregon. This was quite a transition for the whole family, as Garry and Marian had lived near their families all their lives in Medford. They became active members of the First Baptist Church in Newport, where they found a supportive faith community. They moved again in 1964 to Hillsboro, Oregon, and again became active members of the First Baptist Church. Marian was a Sunday school teacher, choir member and deaconess, and served for a time as church secretary.
After their children graduated from high school in Hillsboro, they transferred their membership to Hinson Memorial Baptist Church in Portland. They attended Hinson for 20 years. Marian served as a deaconess. They were also active in their Sunday school class, The Philatheans.
In 1972, they opened Garry Shuler Real Estate in Hillsboro. Garry was the real estate broker, and Marian obtained her real estate license and worked in the business.
Marian was a leader in Christian Women’s Club, an international evangelical ministry that focused on creating a comfortable venue for women to enjoy meeting with other women. The monthly luncheons featured a special speaker, entertainment and activities covering a wide range of interests. Marian began as a local leader, and eventually became active on the
wide range of interests. Marian began as a local leader, and eventually became active on the speakers’ circuit, traveling to clubs around the Northwest.
At the early age of 62, Garry Shuler passed away from esophageal cancer. He passed on to his eternal home with Jesus on June 20, 1995.
It was a huge blow to Marian to lose her life partner, but she found the spiritual support and strength to live a full life. She continued to manage real estate properties for several years. She also continued to be active at Hinson Church and volunteered at WorldView Center, now known as Culture Bound ( www.cultureboand.org ). And she remained active in leadership with Christian Women’s Club / Stonecroft Ministries, regularly speaking until she suffered a stroke in 2008.
Marian moved to Hearthstone at Murrayhill in Beaverton, where she lived for 11 years. After a heart attack in 2012, she suffered acute kidney failure. For the last eight years of her life, she had ESRD and dialysis treatments three times each week. She was a strong woman of faith, and she continued to keep others in her prayers, even as her own body failed.
After a short time on hospice, Marian died peacefully at 1:20 a.m. on February 25, 2020. She was 87 years old. Her children and family were with her in the days and hours before she died, playing hymn music and reading scripture aloud until she passed on to glory and her eternal home with Jesus.
Marian is survived by her son, Robin Lane Shuler and her daughter, Diana Jane Kurth; her daughter-in-law Ellen Tarr Shuler; her son-in-law Donald Kurth; her older grandson Ian Daniel Shuler and his wife Nicole LaBrie; her younger grandson Darin Andrew Shuler and his partner Erin Sagen; and two great-granddaughters, Sunny Love Sagen Shuler and Story Love Sagen Shuler.   In addition to her husband Garry Shuler, she was preceded in death by her three siblings, Darrell Mitchell, Faye Lamb and Shirley Gardner.
Marian will be buried with Garry at Fir Lawn Cemetery in Hillsboro, Oregon. Two Memorial Services are planned: The first at Hearthstone at Murray Hill, 10880 SW Davies Road, Beaverton, Oregon, at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2020; and the second at Hinson Memorial Baptist Church, 1137 SE 20th Ave, Portland, Oregon, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2020.
In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to send a contribution to any of the following charities which impacted Marian’s life:  Christian Women’s Club / Stonecroft Ministries ( https://www.stonecroft.org/donate/ ); Culture Bound (formerly WorldView Center) ( www.culturebound.org/support-us/ ); Hinson Memorial Baptist Church ( www.hinsonchurch.org/ ); or Hospice of the Northwest Foundation ( www.hospicenw.org/how-you-can-help/make-a-donation/ ).

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