WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Watauga County residents are mourning the death of longtime educator Marilyn Sturgill who died at her home Monday morning from complications related to Lou Gehrig's disease.
Sturgill was known as an individual who had dedicated her life to advocating for those with special needs.
"Marilyn was a remarkable, irreplaceable, compassionate and special lady whose death has left a tremendous void in our lives," said Keron Poteat, coordinator of Watauga County's Special Olympics, who worked closely with Sturgill for many years.
"I cannot describe the depth of love and admiration that I have had for this woman who not only lent her voice to those who couldn't speak, her hands and legs to those who couldn't grasp or walk, her mind to those who couldn't reason — but also her heart to those who simply needed love."
Sturgill taught special education in Kentucky before moving to Boone with her husband, Hugh, in 1981.
She quickly became involved with the Center for Exceptional Children through Watauga County Schools and for more than 14 years, coordinated Watauga County Special Olympics.In 2000, she was named the 2000 Special Olympics North Carolina Local Coordinator of the Year. She also took part in two Special Olympics World Winter Games, and in 1989, she attended the International Winter Games at Lake Tahoe as an Alpine Skiing Coach. In 1993, she served as an escort to parents of an athlete from Statesville who competed in Alpine skiing in Austria.
During the 1999 World Summer Games hosted in Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill, Sturgill was instrumental in arranging for Boone to be the Host Town for Team Poland.
Through the years, she remained active on both the local and state level, coordinating, coaching and volunteering in nearly all aspects of the Olympics.
She also focused on recruiting new athletes, volunteers and coaches, did a lot of fundraising and generated publicity for the program.
She was a great encourager and friend to the athletes and their families, helping many of them in ways far beyond the expectations of her role.
Sturgill retired from education in May 2009 and hoped to continue working with those dealing with neurological and communication disorders through augmented speaking devices.
One year later, she began to experience a decline in her overall physical condition, which eventually led to the diagnosis of Lou Gehrig's disease.
On Sept. 26, Sturgill was honored by SONC at a reception at Appalachian Ski Mountain, "for the great impact she had on each of our lives and especially the lives of people with intellectual disabilities," said Poteat, who helped arrange the event and succeeded Sturgill as the local SO coordinator.
During the reception, Sturgill was presented the 2011 SONC Jim Long Commitment to Excellence Award. Long was a founding Board member of SONC in the early 1970s and established it as a legal nonprofit organization.
"Like Marilyn," said Keith Fishburne, president, SONC during the event, "Long, too, provided a voice to people with intellectual disabilities when many others would not listen.
"Marilyn has been a voice for hundreds — and thousands of those with ID — who did not have one," Fishburne said.
Sturgill remained at home in the care of her family and special caregivers until her death.
She is survived by her husband, Hugh Sturgill, two children, five grandchildren, two brothers and one sister.
A celebration of life service for Marilyn Sturgill will be held at 4:00 on Fri., Mar. 30, at Boone United Methodist Church in Boone, of which she was a member.
The Sturgill family will receive friends from 1 — 3:30 p.m. at the church prior to the service.
The family respectfully requests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials be made to Special Olympics Watauga County, 231 Complex Drive, Boone, NC 26807.
Funeral services are under the direction of Austin and Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory of Boone.
WSOC
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