Obituary of Marilyn Jean Rentz

August 19, 1940 to May 4, 2023 - It is with great sadness that the family of Marilyn Jean (Fish) Rentz announces her passing on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the age of 82 after 2.5 years of declining health. Marilyn is survived by her children, Ken (Mona) Rentz of Beaverton and Karen (Sean) Kinslow of Canby; grandsons, Stephen Rentz, Alex Rentz, and Christopher Kinslow, and many beloved friends. She is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Ed, who passed away on February 13, 2022.

Marilyn was born on August 19, 1940 to Marvin & Frances (Kletzok) Fish in Oregon City, Ore. She was an only child and grew up in Canby, helping on the family farm. She was active in 4-H and the Marks Prairie Community Club. In 1953 at the age of 13, she won the 4-H county championship and placed second at the state competition as a news reporter. She also wrote for the Canby Herald from a young age. She performed in majorette groups as a child and participated in events through high school, winning many competitions. She graduated from Canby High School, after which she attended business college and worked briefly in Portland.

Marilyn met the love of her life at a dinner social. Her soon-to-be husband, Ed, said she was the most beautiful woman in the room, and he had to work up the courage to talk to her. Marilyn and Ed were married May 28, 1961 in Aurora and shared 60 devoted years together. She moved from Canby with Ed as his work took him to California, and then to La Grande and Pendleton, Oregon. After the death of her father, Marilyn and Ed returned to Canby and bought the family farm to run it and care for her mother.

She and Ed grew a variety of produce, which they sold at several farmer’s markets for decades. It was the beautiful dahlias she took particular, well-deserved pride in. Marilyn constantly searched for and curated the most stunning flowers for her own garden.

Marilyn loved to cook and expand her culinary repertoire by trying new recipes, while also keeping the traditional dishes of her German ancestors, such as galushkies. Her family has many fond memories of dinners and special holidays, into which she put so much love and attention to detail, including the many sets of table ware and centerpieces she selected carefully for each occasion.

Marilyn was active in the Marks Prairie Community Club and the Aurora Historical Society, volunteering annually for the Historical Society’s strawberry social and other events. She had many friends from her childhood with whom she remained in touch her whole life.

Marilyn was always thinking of her family. When her husband’s health began to fail, she faithfully cared for him until the end. Having been raised on a farm, she was very independent and seldom asked for help, sometimes to her detriment. Ed was everything to her, and it brings her family a measure of peace to know they are together again. She will be deeply missed for her bountiful, beautiful flowers, her sumptuous family meals, but most of all, her devotion to family and community.