Marilyn Jean Stapleton (Boyles) was born in Philippi, West Virginia and graduated from Philippi High School in 1953. Shortly after graduating from high school, she moved to Turlock, along with her immediate family. After settling in Turlock, she worked at various local businesses and ultimately worked for many years as a bookkeeper at Woolworth Company on Main St. In 1960, she married William “Bill” Stapleton, a fellow West Virginian and airman stationed at Castle Air Force Base in Atwater. Shortly after their marriage, Bill was transferred to R.A.F. Fairford and R.A.F. Upper Heyford in England, where they were stationed for several years. After welcoming son Tracy in 1965, they returned to the United States in 1966, sailing from Southampton, U.K. to New York, N.Y. on the S.S. United States. Shortly after returning to Turlock, they welcomed daughter Ginnie in 1966. Like so many military families, over the subsequent years they spent time at a variety of air force bases throughout the United States (Gila Bend, AZ; Lompoc, CA; Victorville, CA) until Bill’s military retirement in 1975. Whenever Bill was stationed overseas, including a deployment to Vietnam, Marilyn would return to Turlock to be near her extended family.
Marilyn was an inspiration to her entire family for her ambition, diligence, and hard work. She always emphasized that you get out of life what you put into it and that education and training were the keys to success. In her early 40’s, Marilyn enrolled at Modesto Junior College, earning her associate’s degree in medical assisting in 1980. Soon thereafter, she was employed as a medical assistant by Virgilio Ereso, M.D. of Modesto, where she worked until retiring in 2005.
Like her father, Marilyn had a love for vegetable gardening and, alongside Bill, enjoyed traveling, making memorable trips across the country, including several trips to West Virginia, New Jersey, New York and visits to Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Las Vegas. Most of all, she loved spending time with her extended family, many of whom resided in the Turlock area.
Marilyn is survived by her husband of 65 years, Bill Stapleton of Turlock; her son, Tracy Stapleton and his wife Tara, of Davis, California; grandson Connor Stapleton of San Francisco; granddaughter Colby Stapleton of Davis; granddaughter Jamie Eisenga (Kyle) and three great-grandchildren—Wyatt, Jase, and Grace. Marilyn was preceded in death by her daughter, Ginnie Hidalgo in 2020; three sisters (Louise, Elsie, and Elizabeth) and three brothers (Charles, James, and David), and parents (Ovie and Virginia Boyles).
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