Marilyn Rose Aldridge

Aldridge, Marilyn Rose (Gnau), 82, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Memory Care facility at Oakwood Village. Born in Springfield on December 21, 1942, she was the sixth of nine children to John Jacob and Martha Rose (Fahey) Gnau. She caught the eye of one of the “bad boys” of Irish Hill, and Tommy Don would become her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, marrying him on July 1, 1961 and enjoying 56 years of marriage until his death in 2018. She was a lifelong member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, where she served on countless committees and fundraising events, and where she was elected as the first woman president of the parish council. Marilyn lived a life in service to others, if you ever needed a volunteer for an event, Marilyn was the one to call; she was always willing to help and would likely drag her kids along as extra hands. She was a 1960 graduate of Catholic Central High School, and for years helped organize their class reunions. After the birth of her sixth child, Marilyn returned to the workforce in 1977 and worked over 30 years for Family Service Agency (now Wellspring) retiring in 2010. When she found time to relax, she enjoyed bingo at St. Joe’s, bowling with her best friend and sisters (Norma and the Gnau’s), building puzzles, playing cards, and hitting the slot machines at the nearest casino. She was a lover of Notre Dame football and the Cincinnati Reds, often heard yelling at the TV, offering the masterful critiques of “You Dummy” or “You Dum Dum”, to which Tom would always murmur “You know they can’t hear you, right?” Above all else, Marilyn loved her family, she was the definition of unconditional love; whether dealing with an ornery husband or whatever mischief or detour her children’s lives took, she was always there with love and support, forgiveness and understanding. She made everything a little bit more special, whether it was Christmas Eve or her famous chocolate chip cookies. Marilyn is survived by her six children, Corie (Marty) Fish, Tom (Twanna) Aldridge, and Jeff, Amy, Patty and Susie Aldridge. She is also survived by grandchildren, Rachel (Mike Holmes) Aldridge, Martin (Betty) Fish, Theresa Fish, Jake (Hadley) Aldridge, and Christine Aldridge, and their mother, Mary Aldridge; and great-grandchildren, Nathan Hill, Erica and Emmett Fish, Cam and Callie Carroll, their father CJ Carroll, and Sophia Aldridge. Also surviving are her sisters, Rita Robinson, Barb Wall, and Angie Thomerson; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas D. Aldridge; granddaughters, Jessica Fish and Molly Carroll; sisters, Joan Shroyer and Monica Porter; and brothers, Terrence, James, and Bobby Gnau. A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the CONROY FUNERAL HOME. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, August 8 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church or Catholic Central Schools.