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In memory of

Marilyn Irene Cole Arrington

Gardena

September 16, 1946 - April 19, 2021

Sep 16, 1946 - Apr 19, 2021

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Marilyn Irene Cole Arrington was born to Charles and Vera Cole on September 16, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. They spent the first few years of life living in Palm Lane prior to moving to their home on 122nd Street where she and her parents lived until she married Harry Arrington, Jr. of Compton, California and moved to the Jungle in the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw area.

Marilyn, or Seedso,, as she was affectionately called by her family, attended McKinley Elementary School. She loved school! Due to a congenital heart defect, Marilyn was unable to play like the other children, so she read many books. She was a voracious reader and was especially intrigued by murder mysteries and science fiction. Agatha Christie and Octavia Butler were two of her favorite authors, and Hercule Poirot was her favorite fiction character.
She attended Enterprise Middle School where she met several of her life-long friends, including her future husband, Harry Arrington, Jr. Hairless, as she called him, would hide her shoes during English class, which would cause her to break out in that infectious, joy-filled laughter she was known for. Even though they later divorced, they remained good friends and kept each other laughing until her passing.

Marilyn attended Centennial High School where she continued to excel academically in spite of having open heart surgery during her junior year. Her recovery was slow, but her persistence and tenacity paid off when she was accepted to Mills College in Oakland, California. During her stay at Mills College, Marilyn developed life-long friendships. She pledged and was initiated into Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in 1965. She was a proud “Golden Soror”, a 50+ year member of the sorority, and she was well-loved by sorors both young and old. Marilyn was a member of Alpha Gamma Omega Chapter in Los Angeles, California and remained actively involved until her final days.

Marilyn graduated in 1968 from Mills College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and quickly earned her elementary teaching credential at the behest of her father. She later earned a Master of Arts in Education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles. Marilyn began her teaching career in 1968 at Grape Street Elementary School in Watts, California where she became a beloved part of the community that resided in the Imperial Courts Housing Project, often acting as a surrogate mother to many of her students. She transferred to Middleton Elementary School in Huntington Park, California where she developed a love for and deeper understanding of the Latino community, and where she honed her Spanish language skills. She retired from Loren Miller Elementary School in Los Angeles, California where she continued cultivating lifelong learners, both new and veteran alike. Her favorite grades to teach were pre-kindergarten and fifth grade. She was a mentor to new teachers, leader among her peers, mother to her students, and a great resource to all those who knew her.

Marilyn was an adventurous spirit! When she was a child, The Cole Family drove across the country regularly from Los Angeles to Little Rock, Arkansas, and once she and her sister became adults, they would cruise and travel together. She continued that love of travel with her girls and began traveling with Kiki and Angie at an early age. She would take her grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and great grandchild many places as well. Marilyn “stayed in the streets”, as she called it, visiting museums, attending concerts and musicals, seeing historical sites across the U.S., and shopping, which was her favorite pastime. Everybody was welcome to come along!

Marilyn was an active, involved youth group leader at Wesley United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, where she would chaperone the church’s youth to many conferences and events throughout the year. She was known at Wesley for her youthful spirit, high expectations of the youth, and unwavering support of their spiritual and academic success. Marilyn was also a member of the finance committee for a number of years.

Well-known for her fiery spirit and deep, abiding love for her family, Marilyn leaves behind a long legacy of education, friendship, sisterhood, community service, and scholarship. Her home was always open, and there was always a space for you at the table. In addition to her children, she provided over fifteen people with a place to stay on Ruthelen. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Vera Cole. She leaves behind her ex-husband, Harry Arrington, Jr.; three children, Derick, Kiri, and Angelina; a sister Irma Markhgott; grandchildren Monique, Jordan, Ethan, Elijah, and Christopher; great-grandson, Josiah; a host of nieces and nephews; and many friends and family. She was well loved and will be missed by all.

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