Marilyn Murnen Dittman died of breast cancer on March 13 at her home in Federal Way. She was 57.

She was born on Dec. 1, 1947 in Roseburg, Ore., to Edgar and Evelyn Murnen. She graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1966, attended the University of Puget Sound and then Washington State University, where she graduated in 1971. She married Larry Thomas Dittman of Aberdeen on Aug. 20, 1970.

She was a 25-year resident of Federal Way where she had been an educator for nearly 20 years. Her most recent position was teaching third grade at Woodmont Elementary, and she enjoyed developing art projects for her students based on famous artwork she had seen in galleries and museums.

She is survived by her husband, Larry Thomas Dittman; children Tyler and Tracy, both of Seattle; mother Evelyn Murnen of Hoquaim; brothers Robert Murnen of Federal Way, John Murnen of Beaverton, Ore., and David Murnen of Hoquaim; sisters, Diana Spencer of Lakewood, and Kathryn Lytle of Hoquiam.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. March 19 at the Brown’s Point United Methodist Church in Northeast Tacoma.

At the request of the family, donations may be made to the Swedish Medical Center Foundation (www.swedish.org), directed to the Swedish Cancer Institute, in Marilyn’s memory.