Marylin Aikman Beardsley

Marylin Aikman Beardsley passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 22, 2023, at Kendal of Ithaca, at the age of 97.  She was born Marylin Elizabeth Aikman in Auburn, New York, on December 2, 1925, to Silas William Aikman and Hazel Elizabeth Woodruff Aikman.  She graduated from Auburn High School in 1943, having participated in Girl Scouts and many school activities. While at Auburn High School, she met Wallace Pearne Beardsley, Jr., a handsome fellow a year ahead of her.  They didn’t start dating until after graduation, when Lynn went off to Bennett Jr. College.  Wally was studying at Cornell Architecture School. She graduated from Bennett in 1945, while Wally joined the Navy Air Corps, piloting planes even after the war was over.

Lynn and Wally married in Auburn in 1946 and lived in Ithaca while Wally finished his architecture degree. Lynn transferred to Cornell and earned a degree in Home Economics, with an secondary interest in early childhood education.  That sparked a lifetime interest in nutrition and healthy living, which surely contributed to her long healthy life. She also loved sewing, needlework, and other crafts. They settled in their hometown of Auburn, Wally working for his father’s architecture firm and Lynn teaching nursery school.  Their daughter Carol Lynn Beardsley, was born in 1950, followed by Ann Elizabeth and Wallace Pearne III.  They built their home on North Seward Avenue, designed by Wally, the young architect. Sadly, Ann passed away at the age of 10, a terrible blow for the family. In 1963, son Phillip Aikman Beardsley was born. 

Lynn was active in many organizations in Auburn, and she was always ready to lend a hand in fundraising and activities for the Women’s Union, the Library, the Museum and the Garden Club, as well as others.  She had many good friends and kept in contact with them throughout her life. She and Wally were always busy with their memberships in the Owasco Yacht Club, the Owasco Country Club and the Skaneateles Ski Club.  The family took many trips in the winter to ski, in Upstate New York, but also to New England and Utah.  She and Wally even skied in Europe several times with friends from the Auburn and Ithaca areas. They also loved to travel and took fascinating and educational trips to Italy, Greece, Turkey and China.  They kept journals and she wrote up all their experiences in scrapbooks. Lynn also kept daily journals of all the family activities from when she was a young woman until just a few years ago.

As they aged, good friends in Ithaca urged them to consider a move to a new senior life-care development, Kendal at Ithaca. In 2001, they finally made the move, leaving their home of fifty years in Auburn.  Kendal was a good home for them – when Wally’s Alzheimer’s disease took him away from us, after 65 years of marriage, Lynn was able to continue to live in their comfortable apartment.  Unfortunately, Wally III passed away only a few weeks after his father.  Lynn continued to be active with her friends at Kendal, playing bridge, taking daily walks, and enjoying visits from daughter Carol and son Phil.  Eventually, when she needed more skilled nursing assistance, Kendal gave her excellent care.  The family is very grateful to the warm, thoughtful staff at Kendal, who helped her through the last few years.

Lynn is survived by her daughter Carol B. Rivers and son-in-law John Rivers of Blue Hill, Maine, and granddaughter Ann Elizabeth Rivers of Ellsworth, Maine, and also by her son, Phillip A. Beardsley and daughter-in-law Deborah Beardsley, of Whitesboro, NY, and their daughters Jennifer Lynn D’Onofrio, Kristina Katherine Hart, and Nicole Jolene Morrison.  She also had a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter, Ann E. Beardsley, husband Wallace P. Beardsley, Jr., and son Wallace P. Beardsley III.

The service will be held privately for the family. Condolences may be made at www.brewfuneralhome.com 

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