Marilyn McNelis

Marilyn “Meme” (Kornemann) McNelis, age 73, passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026, after living for more than a decade with Alzheimer’s disease.

Marilyn was born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, on September 3, 1952, to Donald and Esther Kornemann. She grew up on a sheep and cattle ranch in Albion, Montana. Despite the hard lifestyle, she adored the sheepdogs, barn cats, and especially the calves and lambs. From a young age, Marilyn’s job was caring for and bottle-feeding the orphaned “bum” lambs. When the work was done, she and her brothers often rode their horses and played games like “Pony Express.”

Marilyn attended grade school in Albion at a one-room schoolhouse with her two brothers. For high school, Marilyn boarded with host families in Belle Fourche during the week and returned home on weekends. At Belle Fourche High School, she met her lifelong friends Lise and Sue. The three were inseparable, and Marilyn later loved recalling their visits to the ranch to ride horses and camp in the sheep wagon.

After high school, Marilyn attended Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, for two years before moving to Colorado, where she worked as a waitress with plans to enroll in interior design. A year later, she realized her true calling was teaching. She returned to Montana and completed her Bachelor of Education in elementary and special education at Eastern Montana College in Billings. It was there that she met Kevin McNelis, her husband of nearly 50 years. They first crossed paths in a parking lot when Kevin stopped to help her catch a mouse from the trunk of her red Camaro.

Marilyn graduated before Kevin and began her teaching career in Judith Gap, Montana, where she taught first and second grade. Missing the animals she had grown up with, she quickly adopted an Irish Setter mix from the Billings pound. Marilyn and Kevin married in 1976 at St. Paul’s in Belle Fourche and moved to Belle Creek, Montana, where they both taught. A few years later, they relocated to Anaconda. Marilyn taught special education for eight years, and during that time they welcomed their first two daughters, in 1981 and 1984.

In 1986, the family moved to Belgrade, where Marilyn taught in the Manhattan School District for the remainder of her career. Outside the classroom, she nurtured her friendships and remained active in her Catholic community, often hosting brunches after Sunday Mass. After the birth of her third daughter in 1990, Marilyn continued teaching while returning to college to earn a Master of Education in computer technology. During this time, she also served as a negotiator for the Manhattan Teachers’ Union. Though inherently shy and polite, she became a powerful voice in support of her fellow teachers. Over her 30-year career, she taught hundreds of students to read and lit up when sharing stories from her classroom. In her 2006 retirement speech, she said she looked forward to spending more time with her daughters, a promise she faithfully kept through countless evening phone calls.

Marilyn began jogging in her late twenties, starting one block at a time, until she became a runner. Neighborhood dogs frequently joined in, and she often returned home with a small pack trailing behind her. After just a year of training, she took first place and broke the 5K course record at the 1980 St. Patrick’s Day Run in Anaconda.

Before having children, Marilyn and Kevin spent summers backpacking to mountain lakes with their dogs and winters cross-country skiing with friends at Georgetown Lake. Throughout her adult life, Marilyn enjoyed long walks, pinochle, and creating beautiful flower gardens. She was known for her immaculately kept home, her rum cakes, and the homemade dinners where everyone felt welcome. In her early fifties, she began taking guitar lessons and was thrilled to practice with her instructor’s small band. Marilyn never turned away a stray or needy animal—at one point caring for three dogs, six cats, and two horses.

Marilyn was deeply devoted to her three daughters and attentive to their every need. She nurtured and supported each girl’s interests and was a constant presence at every event and game throughout their childhood. After retirement, Marilyn moved her parents into her home in Belgrade and cared for them until they passed. In 2010, she lovingly became “Meme” with the birth of her first grandson. Marilyn gave him the same love and energy she had given her daughters. Her family will remember her for home-cooked meals, a freezer always full of cookies, and curated holiday and birthday celebrations. She always cared for others first and lived a life full of grit, kindness, and generosity.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her baby boy, Ryan McNelis, born in 1988; her parents, Donald and Esther Kornemann; and her brothers, Mike and Kelly Kornemann. She is survived by her husband, Kevin McNelis; her three daughters, Kellie, Katie, and Kiera; and her four grandchildren, Sawyer, Vera, Oliver, and Emeline.

To honor the life and legacy of Marilyn McNelis, a memorial scholarship has been established in recognition of her lifelong commitment to education. Donations may be sent to Manhattan Public Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 1223, Manhattan, MT 59741 or made online at www.manhattanpublicschoolsfoundation.org

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the River Rock Event Center in Belgrade.