Marilyn Evans Eflein, 78, of Fernandina Beach passed away Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at her home.

She was born in Orlando in 1946 and was the daughter of the late John B. Evans, Jr. and Helen Moore Evans. She moved, along with her parents, to Amelia Island when she was three years old. Although her formal art training did not begin until college, she was known for her drawing various stories ranging widely from cartoons to Greek Mythology. It seemed drawing was part of her everyday life.

She graduated from Fernandina Beach High School in 1964 and began attending Jacksonville University. While there she studied under such notables as Memphis Wood, Steve Lots and Mun Quan before transferring to the University of Florida where she became an avid “Gator Fan”. While at UF, Marilyn earned her master’s degree in Art. Her studies were guided by the well-known southern artist and educator, Stuart Purser.

After university and marriage, she moved to eastern Pennsylvania and then to California where she continued her art studies while her husband attended graduate school at Stanford. While living there, Marilyn was an active member of the Palo Alto Art League.

Following the untimely death of her husband, Dale A. Eflein, Marilyn returned to Fernandina Beach and began what would be a 38-year career as an Art Educator at Fernandina Beach High School. Beyond art, she taught various crafts including pottery. She began the school’s art exhibit as a feature of the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival and she was honored to have the 2005 festival dedicated to her. In addition to the the high school classroom, Marilyn also taught evening art classes at Florida Junior College. Marilyn influenced so many of her students and others in the art world with her passion. She encouraged them to try new ways of creating art with her whimsical and fun ideas from a variety of medians including sketching, drawing, painting and turning on her pottery wheel.

Marilyn was a charter member of the Island Art Association where she was honored in 2019 for her 44 years of service and dedication of the arts and support of the Association. She received the Career Service Award from the Florida Art Education Association and the Arts Education Leadership Award from the Florida Alliance for Arts Education.

Over the years, Marilyn’s style of art evolved, from early oil works in the expressionist manner to watercolors and drawings with a more realistic approach. The latter seemed to depict the scenes of her home, waterfronts, beaches, marshlands and unique points of interest, more of her mind’s eye. Prints of her works are very rare. She maintained that a collector was entitled to a “true” original. Her works were displayed and won awards in Pennsylvania, California, Georgia and Florida.

Marilyn was also a lover of horses and travelling with friends and family. She had many wonderful adventures in her lifetime. She will be missed by her pet companions, Honey and Kit; the many former students she influenced over the years and the friends she made in living such a full life.

Marilyn was laid to rest with her parents and husband at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Orlando as part of a small private burial. She always said she wanted to be with her “mom and dad” and the “love of her life”, Dale.