June 23, 1930 – April 5, 2026

Marilyn Meitner Johnston, 95, of Inline Village, Nevada, and La Quinta, California, passed away peacefully at home early on Easter morning, surrounded by family and holding her beloved husband Jim’s hand.
Marilyn had a special marriage for 73-1/2 years to Jim Johnston, 96. She loved her family, including two sons and their spouses: Jim and his wife May, and Jeff and his wife Kelly; four grandchildren including Jacqueline, Brooke, Kyle and Kyle’s wife Missy, and Sydney; and two great-granddaughters Elisabeth and Hazel.
Marilyn had a long wonderful life. Born in Los Angeles, she grew up in both San Diego and LA. Her parents George and Evelyn came to California from Wisconsin. Sadly, her mother died of tuberculosis when she was 12. She was close to her beloved father George Meitner, and also was raised by her beloved Aunt Mimi. Marilyn graduated from Hoover High in San Diego and UC Berkeley—Go Bears!
On her first date with future husband Jim, they played tennis. They continued playing tennis together for over 60 years. After both graduated from Cal in 1952, they were married in November 1952. They first skied together in 1953–and also kept skiing together for 60 years.
After Jim’s army service and graduate degrees from Cal, and after Marilyn taught elementary school in Berkeley, Marilyn and Jim moved back to Southern California. They raised their two sons and lived for more than 40 years in Fullerton.
In addition to the family which loved her, Marilyn had many, many friends. Through this year, she had still stayed in touch with friends going back to high school and even kindergarten. She was a very energetic person, always quite active in her communities, and involved in many groups such as St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline.
Along with skiing and tennis, Marilyn always loved gardening and her dogs. She also loved travel and she and Jim were able to travel the country and the world with friends and family. Very special places included Yosemite, where they both worked summers while attending Cal and where there were so many Johnston family trips and special memories and where she and Jim became engaged; the desert, which she and Jim first visited in 1952 on their honeymoon; and Lake Tahoe, where she and Jim saw Nat King Cole sing at the Cal-Neva in 1952 and where they lived seasonally for the past 30 years.
The Memorial Service/Celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held at 11am on Saturday, June 20 at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 341 Village Road, Incline Village. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed in Marilyn’s honor to the Pet Network Humane Society or St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, both in Incline Village.