Marilynn Mabee Clark Huntington

Rev. Dr. Marilynn Mabee Huntington served the Churches and the Annual Conference for over 40 years. She was born in Wichita, Kansas and graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Music. She was a member of St. Paul’s Oxnard Umc where she was Choir Director and Director of the “Many Shades of Joy.” St. Paul’s also recommended her for the Ordained Ministry. She got her M. Div. and D. Min. from Claremont School of Theology where she met Mark in the Fall of 1979. They were married in August of 1981 at the Ontario FUMC where Marilynn served as Choir Director before her ordination. She served on the Board of Directors of Plaza Community Center and the North Valley Caring Center, the Claremont School of Theology Board of Trustees and then as part-time Alumni Relations Director at CST after her retirement. She was the Conference Song Leader for several, the first Conference UMW President, Pastor of Bella Vista UMC in Monterey Park and Tujunga UMC. She was the second woman appointed to the Cabinet (Santa Ana District) (Bishop Tuell) and was the Dean of the Cabinet (Bishop Sano) before she was appointed to serve as the Conference Council on Ministries Director. She then served as the Director of Connectional Ministries (Bishop Swenson) until she retired in 2004. She was elected to three (maybe 4) General Conferences as both a Lay Person and Clergy. She served on the General Board of Discipleship, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Council on Ministry. She also served on the Connectional Process Team re-shaping the General Conference for the 21st Century. She was also a Member of the World Methodist Conference five times (Dublin, Nairobi, Singapore, Rio de Janerio and Brighton England), and also served on the World Methodist Council. Marilynn is survived by husband of 35 years Rev. Mark Huntington, son Rob Mabee (Merrilee) of Phoenix, AZ, daughter Cindy Kleinrock of Nashville, Step-son Aaron Huntington of Seattle, step-daughter Elysha Huntington (John Sanful) of New York, NY, by seven Grandchildren: Ryan (Samantha), Kristi, Jacob, Jennifer, Justin, Barbie and Maya and one Great-granddaughter, Payton. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2009 but retained her Positive, Loving, Outgoing, Caring personality until she passed away suddenly from pneumonia on May 31, 2017 at the age of 83. Her hugs will be greatly missed by all who knew her.