Marilyn Murial Siden

Marilyn Murial Siden, 86, passed away on November 13, 2025, surrounded by family. She lived a life of selfless service, sharing the Gospel, unwavering dedication to young people, and deep love for all people.

Born and raised in California, Marilyn graduated from Berkeley High School in 1956. She started her career as an elementary school teacher. In 1984, she began working for Wilderness Trails, a nonprofit organization in Southern Oregon, focused on giving fostered and abused children positive experiences in the outdoors.

With two of her four children still at home, she purchased a plot of bare land in Southern Oregon, near Grants Pass. Over the course of a year, and while living in a large canvas tent, she rallied local loggers to help her fell trees on her own property and construct a two-story log cabin. Her children remember and cherish the memories of living in that tent, evenings around a cooking fire with a myriad of animals gathered, including an orphaned baby donkey named Tabasco. They peeled logs right alongside the loggers, all the while ensuring her 7 and 9-year-old children got regular baths in a nearby stream, did homework and projects around the lantern light, and stayed safe and dry through many intense Southern Oregon storms.

After moving back to the Bay Area in 1989, she founded and directed Today's Youth Matter for 26 years, an organization that shaped the lives of countless young people through its outdoor camps, programs, and relationships. Her compassion and leadership were felt by countless children in crisis throughout her career, and her tenderness as a mother has left a lasting legacy in her own family.

Marilyn was also a writer, authoring two books, Potholes in the Pavement and Common Ground, both reflecting her deep belief in resilience, grace, and the power of human connection. Marilyn's favorite book to read was the Bible, and one of her favorite passages was from Romans 12. She especially loved The Message Bible:

Romans 12:9-10: Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Marilyn noticed the beauty in everything and everyone. Taking long walks to feed the ducks or admire the wildflowers was one of her favorite things to do, especially alongside a grandchild. She marveled at God's creation: the number of turtles in a pond, egrets nesting in the trees above, and the infinite number of galaxies in God's universe. She didn't sweat the small stuff. She practiced playing second fiddle, and she loved unconditionally and always assumed the best of people.

She is survived by her four children, Debi Shargel, Steve Shargel, Matthew Shargel and Jennifer Farrar, along with her 12 grandchildren, Josh, Charis, Tim, Caleb, Andrew, Greyson, Peter, Levi, Nathan, Daniel, Paul, and Noah, and one great-grandchild, Gregory. She is also survived by her sister, Helen Rubardt, and 10 nieces and nephews. She was preceded by her husband's death earlier this year, as well as by her sister Nancy's death several years ago. Her work, her words, and the thousands of young people she influenced remain as a lasting testimony to a life lived with deep love and compassion, heartfelt conviction and purpose, and an undying commitment to extending God's goodness in the world.