Marilyn Maxine HeywoodJuly 1, 1938September 9, 2017Our loving mother, Marilyn Heywood, a long time Reno/Sparks resident, passed away peacefully at The Arbors Memory Care on September 9, 2017.She was born on July 1, 1938 in Tecumseh, Nebraska to Max and Margaret Tucker. She was 1 of 9 children and is preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Bob Tucker and Jim Tucker, as well as her sisters Marge Rhode, Barbara Thies and Dorothy Doehring. Her remaining siblings are Joanne Lade, Patricia Madden and Larry Tucker.Marilyn attended Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska where she met the love of her life and married Glen Heywood in 1958 and were married for 59 years. They both began their teaching careers in Sterling Nebraska. They moved to Sparks Nevada in 1961 because the teaching jobs were plentiful at that time. Together they raised 3 of their own children: Jani (Jim) Lyle, John (Barbara) Heywood and Tom (Robin) Heywood and too many foster kids to name. She adored her 6 grandchildren and they loved her as well: Chrysta (Will) Knight, Hayden Lyle, Eileen Heywood, Emily Heywood, Tanner Lyle and Max Heywood. She also has 2 great-grandchildren, Rylee and Kye Knight and loved the big hugs she would get from them each time she saw them.Marilyn taught at Our Lady of the Snows and St. Albert's Catholic Schools for about 30 years, so she couldn't go anywhere without hearing someone calling out "Mrs. Heywood". She was pretty good at remembering her students names too when she met them later in life. After retiring from teaching, she continued in God's work as the Administrator of Religious Education for Immaculate Conception Church.Being a teacher, she had summers off and loved spending time in the garden and loved that our house was the place the neighbor kids hung out. As a family we would spend time camping and exploring many of the remote, interesting sites in Nevada with a group of families from the neighborhood.She was very musical throughout her life and loved singing and directing the choir at Immaculate Conception Church. One of her treasured memories was singing with a local choir group at Carnegie Hall. Marilyn loved sewing, knitting and crocheting and really missed it when she was unable to remember how to do it. It was heartbreaking for Glen and the rest of the family to watch her decline and not be able to help. Beyond all of her many achievements in life Marilyn will be remembered as a funny, generous, religious, intelligent and family-loving person. We all miss and love her and will carry her excellent example with us all the days of our lives.The family would like to give an extra thank you to the fine and compassionate people working at The Arbors Memory Care and to the excellent care she received from Kindred Hospice.In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The of Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter. You can donate to The Arbors Angels team for their upcoming Alzheimer's Walk. www.alz.org/norcalA Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled at Immaculate Conception Church, 2900 North McCarran Blvd., Sparks NV, on Friday, September 20, 2017 at 11 AM. A Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be said prior to the funeral mass at 10:30, and a reception will follow at the church hall from noon to 2:00. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Walton's - O'Brien-Rogers & Crosby Funeral Home, Reno.