Marilyn Kay Gregg

Marilyn Kay Gregg, age 67, of Marshall, Minnesota, died due to complications of cancer and under the care of hospice on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone, Minnesota. As a member of Christ United Presbyterian Church, Memorial Services are 2:00 p.m. Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the First Lutheran Church Chapel (100 Church Street) in Marshall. Interment will follow at the Russell Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Marshall. The evening will conclude with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. followed by time to share memories. Visitation will continue one hour prior to her celebration, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., on Thursday, at the church.

Marilyn Kay DeYonge was born on July 17th, 1959, in Tracy, Minnesota, to Edgar and Janet (Baack) DeYonge entering this world about three minutes before her twin sister, Marian. Shortly after Marilyn’s birth, her parents along with Marian and her older sister, Janette, made their home in Heidelberg, Germany, where Edgar was serving in the United States Army. Once Marilyn and Marian were old enough, they returned to the States and began school in Tracy. Their youth was filled with ice skating, roller skating, bowling, selling candy for the Girl Scouts, and hanging out with their friends. A highlight of their time in Tracy was every Labor Day both sides of their family would gather at her grandma and grandpa Baack’s home and attend the Box Car Days Celebration together.

On February 27, 1973, at the age of 40, Marilyn’s mother unexpectedly passed away leaving a break in her heart that never quite healed. With Edgar’s service in the military, family members opened their homes to help them navigate those uncertain years. In Marilyn’s sophomore year of high school, she and her twin sister relocated to Pipestone where Marilyn finally found her village. She cruised the square while listening to Aerosmith, was active as a flag girl for the Arrowette pep squad, worked at the A&W, and participated in all the other things teenagers do in towns that only have one stoplight.

After graduating from Pipestone High School in 1978, Marilyn moved to Rochester and attended the community college with a focus on Early Childhood Education. That decision would send her down the path of educating and supporting children. During her 31-year career, Marilyn's priority was meeting her kids where they were and helping provide them with the necessary support. Upon completing school, she moved briefly to work in California but soon returned to Pipestone In 1980. It was there she met a young man by the name of Steven McNab, who informed her (that night) that they would be getting married.

In November of 1982, Steve and Marilyn were married and made their home in Worthington. In May of 1984, they welcomed their son, Nicholas, into the world. Steve was employed as a route salesman for Sara Lee Bread while Marilyn worked in elementary school systems as a Special Education Paraprofessional. The family relocated to Pipestone in late 1993, where they spent their time attending Nick’s activities, going on vacations, and hanging out with numerous friends and family. Marilyn and Steve loved going on day trips around Southwest Minnesota, all the while holding hands. She was also active helping produce annual plays for the Pipestone Children’s Theatre and teaching both CCD and confirmation classes at the Catholic Church where they were members.

In August of 2008, Steve passed away from a sudden illness. Heartbroken, and with her son living across the country, Marilyn tapped into that resilience that she acquired when her mother passed away as a young girl and continued to do the next right thing. In 2009, she decided that it was time to close the chapter in Pipestone. She briefly lived in Slayton before moving to her hometown of Tracy, where she was blessed with the rare opportunity to live in the same home that her grandparents had lived in all those years ago.

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot twice in a lifetime are one in 85 quadrillion; on January 15, 2015, Marilyn cashed in her second prize when she met a farmer from rural Marshall named Todd Gregg. From the very start, Todd provided stability, integrity, comfort, and unending love to Marilyn. They would often go on dates to the movies, local restaurants, or just hang out on the front porch talking about anything and everything. On July 15, 2017, on a sweltering summer day they were married in Marshall in a beautiful ceremony full of tears of joy and love. Following that ceremony, they quadrupled the population of Russell by throwing a party that was one of the highlights of their lives together.

Todd and Marilyn took a trip to Washington, D.C., for their honeymoon where they spent their time seeing the sights and being newlywed lovebird tourists. Back at home, Marilyn took on the role of a farmer’s wife. She immediately named all the barn cats and she and Todd spent their free time camping and having game nights with family members and the kind of friends who became family. In the fall, Marilyn and Todd kept a hopeful but healthy distance every Sunday watching the Minnesota Vikings.

Their faith, patience, love, and respect for each other constantly outshined everything around them and laid the foundation for every step they took along the way.

In the spring of 2023, Marilyn was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer. With the unwavering support of Todd, her son, friends, and family, she pulled from the same strength that she acquired through all the hardships she faced in the years before. Much like those other hardships she previously faced she refused to let the bad things that happen to you define who she was or how she saw the world. It was because of that attitude and commitment to continue to do the next right thing, no matter what, Marilyn was afforded a few more beautiful years surrounded by the people that make every day worth waking up for.

In July of this year, she had a scan that reported the news that her cancer had spread into places they could no longer treat. She spent the next month running errands, going to lunch, camping, spending time with her son (while never forgetting to remind him to clean his temporary room), and soaking up as much time as she could on the porch with her beloved Todd.

When presented with the reality of her life coming to an end, she made the choice to be radically defiant. She embraced the seemingly mundane activities that had defined her day-to-day life up to that point. She let everyone around her in on a little secret, that the vacations, weddings, births, deaths, successes, and failures that outshine the regular motions of our day to day are moments in time that went just as quickly as they came; forever showcased and catalogued in photo albums and Facebook posts. But you will find that your beautiful life is actually found on the front porch in rural Minnesota with the man you love.

On August 19, 2026, Marilyn was admitted to the Hospice House in Pipestone. While wrapped in an unbreakable faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and surrounded by the people who loved her most, Marilyn passed away peacefully in the morning sun on Friday, August 21, 2026. Blessed be her memory.

She is survived by her husband Todd Gregg of Marshall; son, Nicholas McNab of Oklahoma City, OK; sister, Marian (and Dave) Brady of Pipestone; sister-in-law, Susan (and Dennis) Marks of Shakopee; brother-in-law, Danny (and Pam) Gregg of Pulaski, TN; best friend, Wendy Schoolmeester of Pipestone; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many other friends.

Marilyn was proceeded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents; parents, Edgar and Janet DeYonge; first husband, Steven McNab; sister, Janette; and infant sister, Luann.