Obituary of Marilyn Bolchunos

“I am one with the universe,” Marilyn Bolchunos wrote. “I am one with the birds’ swift flight across the morning sky … ”

Her warmth and kindness brought joy to those who knew her, and she and her writings inspired contemplation of the beauty surrounding and connecting all things.

She died Thursday, December 1, following an illness. She was 95.

Among roles as a teacher, writer, and social worker, she helped students of English as a Second Language at Emily Griffith Opportunity School in Denver.

She was born to Frank and Besse Bieser April 4, 1927 in Aurora, and spent her childhood in Craig and Steamboat Springs with siblings Joyce, Al, and Shirley. As a young woman, shortly after she graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder, she traveled independently to Greece and taught English there for more than a year.

At a boarding house in Denver, a carpenter, John Bolchunos, caught her eye and soon won her heart. They married in 1955 and settled in Arvada, where they raised their four children. Her love of music, art, and literature, and her sense of wonder about life, filled the home. She deeply cherished animals and nature. With her family, she relished picnics in the Rocky Mountains and regattas with the sailboat John built.

She always strived to encourage others and delighted in collecting and sharing stories to do so. She wrote and published articles ranging from inspiring family history to meditative poetry to “Breakdown Breakthrough,” powerful reflections on how she navigated challenges with postpartum depression. In later years, her delightful retellings of folk tales shared by her students from across the world appeared in national magazines for children, including Highlights and Cricket.

She is survived by her loving daughters Valerie and Julie, sons Thomas and Brad, and granddaughters Tianna and Holly. She was preceded in death by her dear husband, John.

A memorial service by family and friends is scheduled for 11 am Monday, December 12, at Aspen Mortuary in Arvada, followed by burial at 12:30 pm at Arvada Cemetery.

Her family and friends miss her but will remain forever inspired by her amazing, exuberant, and loving spirit.

“The laughter and song of our living, breathing earth come through me,” she once wrote. “I express the joy of this feeling as I go through my day.”