Marilyn Rotroff

Marilyn Rotroff of Hillsboro, Ohio, passed very peacefully from this world to the next on June 16, 2024. She was surrounded by family and listening to Conway Twitty singing “Hello Darlin”. She was born in Hillsboro on December 14, 1939, to Frank and Evelyn Stanley who predecease her. She grew up in the Rainsboro and Greenfield areas.

Marilyn was known affectionately as “Muzz” to almost everyone who knew her. Her family also knew her as “Muzzy” and “Muzzy Moo.”

Muzz was a wonderful, caring woman who loved her family and friends. She was an avid quilter who made many beautiful quilts. All of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren received a quilt when they were born. She was a skilled seamstress and crafter, and her work lives on in the homes of her family and the hundreds of people who purchased her items at craft shows over the decades. Muzz loved playing games and was a formidable opponent whether it was cards or board games. She also loved logic puzzles and was quite a Boggle wordsmith. Many late nights were spent battling her loved ones at a kitchen table graced with popcorn and laughter.

Muzz seasoned into the sweetest lady you could imagine but was a wild spirit in her younger days. In the 1950s, she loved drag racing seated next to her husband, Hank, while he was at the wheel of his chartreuse green Chevrolet convertible with an Oldsmobile 56 Rocket V-8 engine. The faster, the better. She once got mad at Hank because he wouldn't drag race someone through the middle of Hillsboro.

Muzz also had a quick wit. Her knitting and crocheting 4-H club was called the Knit Wits. Her Siamese cat was named Tai Won Ahn. At a hostess party, the demonstrator asked her if anyone had ever made a flaming dessert. Muzz replied “well, never on purpose.” The list goes on and on.

Marilyn is survived by her loving husband of 67 years, Henry “Hank” Rotroff. Her daughters also survive - Lisa (Steve) Sollars of Leesburg, and Sherry (Mike) Sollars of Washington C.H., as well as her grandchildren - Dannie (Ryan) Houston of Wilmington, Brad (September Tharp) Sollars of Washington C.H., Rob (Alicia) Sollars of Hillsboro, Kelly (Dustin) Marsh of Leesburg, Travis (Rachel) Sollars of Fairborn, Casey (Matt) Cellar of Columbus, Haley (Hunter) Wagner of Xenia, Jill (Kevin) Hall of Fairborn, and Blake Sollars of Washington C.H. Also surviving are 13 great-grandchildren. Her face always lit up when in the presence of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Marilyn is also survived by her brother, Frank (Irlene O'Banion) Stanley of South Salem, as well as her half­-brothers and sisters, Carol (Danny) Burt, Mary (Frank) Malone, Marlene (Ivan) Teets, Lowell Stanley, Gail (Bob) Merrick, and Eileen (Jim) Henderson, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Many wonderful friends and neighbors also remember her fondly.

A glorious reunion was held when Marilyn was reunited with her beloved mother, Evelyn Clark, brothers, Vernon Stanley and Jim Stanley, and sister-in-law, Colleen Stanley. Also celebrating were her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bill and Amanda Rotroff, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Shirley and Charlie Jordan, her niece and her niece's husband, Brenda and Bob Ward, and her niece, Joni Cope. Tacos with homemade hot sauce, chocolate cake, and popcorn were served with sweet tea, lemonade, and unsweetened tea labeled “no sugar, really!” to wash it all down.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Rhoads-Edgington Funeral Home of Hillsboro. Services will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude's, the Salvation Army, or Hospice of Dayton.

Muzz was a wonderful example to all of her family and an all-round wonderful human bean. Hers was a life well lived. Well-played, Muzz. Well-played.