Marilyn Sena Agee

Marilyn Sena Agee entered into the presence of the Lord on September 4, 2025 after a life of loving service to her Savior. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and trusted friend - whose gentle spirit and commitment to serve the God she loved endured even through her waning years and cognitive decline with dementia. To her last day, she was quick to spread a loving smile and all those around her could feel the love of Christ through her life.

Marilyn was born on May 15, 1937 in Grand Junction, Colorado to John Alvin Mannel and Roberta Jane Mannel. She was the oldest child and a caring sister for her brothers Ken and Myron. Marilyn spent her early years at the family cattle ranch in Powell Park, seven miles west of Meeker, Colorado. She attended a one room school with a pot belly stove and an outhouse and enjoyed playing with her friends in the school yard during recess. Her teacher, Mrs. Parr, taught Marilyn to play a very simple hymn, “Wonderful Words of Life” on the old piano in the school room, which started a lifelong interest in music.

From a young age, Marilyn was interested in the Bible. Even growing up on the ranch she would find time to sit at the kitchen table doing Bible correspondence lessons. When the family moved to Meeker, her parents became involved in the newly planted Meeker Bible Church. Through the ministry of this church, Marilyn’s father was instrumental in founding Twin Peaks Bible and Missionary Camp. Every summer Marilyn and her parents would attend and serve at this camp where Marilyn was baptized and where she later committed her life to full-time missions.

Marilyn enjoyed school and together with her dear friend DeeAnn Amick (Walter’s matchmaking niece) she was a consistent witness for Christ. Marilyn would tag along with DeeAnn to the photo studio in town and to a series of concerts with a group of family and friends. Through these outings DeeAnn introduced Marilyn to her uncle Walter Agee.

Walter noticed something very special in Marilyn since she “was not like the other girls in town”; she sought to honor Christ in her actions and choices. Walter’s interest kindled. God used Marilyn’s commitment to the Lord and to serving as a missionary to draw Walter to also make a commitment to full time service.  Together they attended Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music from 1955 to 1958. 

Walter and Marilyn were married in Meeker, Colorado on December 22, 1957. They chose Romans 15:20-21 as their life verse: “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written, ‘Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’”

After graduation from GRSBM, they studied at the Summer Institute of Linguistics at the University of North Dakota and committed to serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Soon they were on their way to Wycliffe’s Jungle Training Camp in southern Mexico where they lived in a little hut they built for themselves out of native materials. After Jungle Camp, Walter and Marilyn returned to Meeker where their first child, Daniel Mark was born in 1959.

Walter and Marilyn were assigned to serve in Guatemala to set up and operate a print shop and to serve as host for the linguistics center there. Marilyn was a thoughtful and gifted hostess, serving meals and providing clean rooms for translators coming out of their village allocations. She also worked in the printshop preparing page layouts for printing, checking manuscripts and doing the finances.

While in Guatemala, Walter and Marilyn welcomed another son, Stephen Luke in 1960, and adopted a daughter, Christine Ann in 1964. Marilyn was a loving and selfless mother to her children, and the family enjoyed life in Guatemala City and visiting surrounding villages.

After Walter was asked to help coordinate publishing services for SIL around the world, the family returned to the United States in 1973, spending one year in Minneapolis before settling in Dallas. The Agees purchased a home in Duncanville and became very active in Faith Bible Church. They were also involved in international student ministry, developing many dear friends from around the world.

After 25 years in Dallas, Walter and Marilyn moved to Oaxaca, Mexico to set up self-help publishing centers and to live near Dan’s family. Living in Mexico gave them extended time with their Mexico grandkids.

Committed to caring for their elderly family, Walter and Marilyn moved back to Grand Junction, CO where they cared for Marilyn’s mother and Walter’s sister in their final years from 2002 to 2004. They then returned to Dallas, where they continued to serve until their retirement in 2012.

Marilyn’s commitment to the Lord and his Word, her gentle and quiet spirit, her tenderhearted compassion, and her commitment to getting God’s Word to people in their own languages were consistent themes, shining through her life in all she did. She used her gift of attention to detail as she carefully checked New Testament manuscripts translated into many different languages to assure the highest quality in punctuation and formatting.  In all she did, she lovingly prayed for the people who would receive God’s Word.

Walter and Marilyn were married for nearly 68 years and served the Lord faithfully for all their days. Marilyn’s sweet spirit and talent at the piano continued to shine when words failed her in her final months. Left to cherish her memory and continue her legacy of faith are her beloved husband Walter; children Dan and Peggy Agee, Steve and Janet Agee, Christy Grimm, and long-time daughter-in-law Carisa Agee; grandchildren (and great grandchildren): Jonathan and Cindy Agee (Jack, Charlotte, and Simon); Melissa and John DeLeon (Muse and Zoe); Sarah and Kevin Johnson (Alina, Lydia, and Naomi); David and Mandy Hessong (Hayden, Alex, and Ethan); Lauren and Hugo Perez (Maddox, Ava, and Emma); Andrea and Aaron Woodard (Quin and Stacy); Matthew Agee and Lia Smith (soon to welcome Sammy); and Julianne Agee; along with countless nieces, nephews, friends, and family in Christ around the world.

The family will host a memorial service at the Activities Center on the International Linguistics Center on Friday, October 10, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (7500 W. Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, TX), with a reception to follow.

If you wish to join the service on Zoom at 3:00 p.m. Central Time, please use this link: https://sil.zoom.us/j/97333599602

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorial contributions be made towards the production of the Deditos video series.  Based in Guatemala it has a global impact for minority-language children around the world.  Donations can be made here: https://deditos.org/en/donate  If making an online donation, add a note under “additional information.” if donating via check, write on the memo line: “For Viña Association in memory of Marilyn Agee.”