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Marilyn Lomeli

DOB: Feb 19, 1947

From: Tucson, AZ

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As a little girl, Marilyn loved watching her mom cook — the sounds, the smells, the way the whole kitchen felt alive. When she was finally old enough, her mom taught her how to make tortillas from scratch. Marilyn still remembers the feel of the dough in her hands and the pride of flipping that first tortilla on the pan. That moment lit a spark in her, and cooking became one of her greatest joys.

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One of Marilyn’s favorite childhood memories is walking with her siblings to the corner store after a long day of playing outside. The Arizona sun would just be starting to cool, and the three of them, sweaty and laughing, would pool together their coins to buy penny candies. She remembers the excitement of choosing her treats and the simple joy of sharing them on the walk home; little moments that felt like treasures.

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One of Marilyn’s favorite songs as a teenager was ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles. She says it was the first song that really made her stop and think about how fragile love and time can be. What touched her most was the balance; the sadness of loss wrapped together with the beauty of memory. Even now, hearing it brings her back to those teenage years, when she first realized how music could speak to the heart in ways words alone never could.

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The Beatles - Yesterday (Live With Spoken Word Intro, New York) [Remastered 2015]

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Attended Tucson High

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Marilyn married her high school sweetheart at just 19. She often laughs about how young they were, but says she never doubted it was the right choice. By 25, she was already chasing after three little ones, filling her Tucson home with the smells of homemade tortillas, the sound of kids’ laughter, and the kind of love that makes a house feel alive.

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Marilyn loves being out in the garden, especially when her kids or grandkids join her. She says there’s something special about planting together, watching things grow, and then bringing that fresh produce straight into the kitchen. For her, it’s not just about cooking; it’s about the memories made while digging in the dirt, laughing under the sun, and sitting down to share a meal that came from their own hands

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You think you know love at a young age, but that love grows into something much bigger over time

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A coke a day keeps the doctor away

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When Marilyn was younger, her bike was her ticket to freedom; she rode it everywhere around Tucson, from school to the corner store. She never really gave it up, either. Even as she got older, cycling stayed her favorite way to stay active and clear her head. She says pedaling with the desert breeze on her face still makes her feel like that carefree girl she once was

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Rock Around the Clock’ by Bill Haley & His Comets was the very first song Marilyn remembers hearing on the radio back in 1955. She was just a little girl then, but the upbeat rhythm and energy stuck with her. She recalls sitting in her family’s living room in Tucson, the radio crackling, and feeling like the whole world suddenly sounded bigger and more exciting. That moment sparked her lifelong love of music.

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Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock (1955) HD

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Family and faith are the most important things one can have, hold onto it tight, and never let it go

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Family dinners are one of Marilyn’s happiest traditions. Almost every week, she gathers her kids and grandkids around the table, cooking all the food herself. She does it joyfully each time, saying nothing makes her happier than having her family together under one roof. For Marilyn, cooking is more than just preparing a meal; it’s her love language, something she inherited from her mom. Every dish carries a little bit of that legacy, a way of showing care through flavors and time spent together.

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Years ago, Marilyn found a tiny golden retriever puppy abandoned and in rough shape. She took him in, cared for him, and named him Lucky; and true to his name, he brought so much joy and love into her life. Lucky grew up alongside her family, and before he passed, he was mated with another golden retriever. Their puppies carried on his gentle spirit, and now their pups have puppies of their own. Marilyn says it feels like Lucky never really left her side; a piece of him lives on in every wagging tail that greets her at the door

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Knowledge is power, and not just knowledge from school, but in life

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Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses (1987)

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Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses (1987)

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n 1987, Marilyn’s house was filled with the sound of ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Guns N’ Roses. Her kids would blast it so loud the walls practically shook. She used to laugh and playfully scold them for all the noise, but deep down she secretly loved it. The song became part of the soundtrack of raising her family; a reminder of the energy, chaos, and joy of having a full house.

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Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Official Music Video)

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Marilyn’s all-time favorite movie is Titanic. She first watched it when it came out in 1997, and it’s been her comfort movie ever since. Even now, she’ll put it on almost every day; sometimes watching it closely, other times just letting it play in the background while she cooks or tidies up. No matter how many times she’s seen it, she never gets bored. For her, it’s more than a love story; it’s a film that stirs her emotions and feels like an old friend she can always return to

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Money is important but it doesn't fix everything and time is irreversible, so spend both wisely.

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Marilyn’s favorite family tradition is traveling to Mexico every Christmas to spend time with her sister. The moment she arrives, she’s greeted by the scent of fresh noche buenas (poinsettias) filling the halls of her sister’s home. For her, that fragrance is Christmas itself; warm, familiar, and full of love. Those trips aren’t just vacations; they’re treasured moments of family, laughter, and tradition that she carries with her year after year