Marilyn Southall, 79, died at home surrounded by her family on September 22, 2026.

She was born in Richmond, VA on December 31, 1946. Marilyn attended Thomas Jefferson High School. She started her family shortly thereafter with Dr. Lester Haddad of Bethesda, MD. Marilyn always wanted eight children, and she made that dream a reality. She created a sibling group with deep bonds who remain best friends in their adulthood.

Marilyn was highly intelligent and deeply cultured. An avid reader throughout her lifetime, she devoted much of her time to the library during her childhood years. She instilled in her family the importance of exploring the world and understanding different groups of people through her love of reading and travel. She was especially knowledgeable of history, geography, and world politics, and she could educate anyone, with ease and grace, on the many royal dynasties of countries near and far. Quiet and introverted as she was, she left an unforgettable impression.

She leaves behind a legacy of ten grandchildren and a rich, detailed family history spanning multiple generations. Known for her remarkable gift for preserving and sharing our heritage, she kept family artifacts and heirlooms gathered from generations back. She could expertly explain each item’s origin: who it belonged to and where it came from.

She is survived by six of her children, Matthew David Haddad, Joseph Rhett Haddad (Jennifer), Charlene Rebecca Dimond, Daniel Southall Haddad, Elizabeth Anne Beringson (Marc), and Madeleine Haddad Shaver (Edwards); by her grandchildren, Thomas Southall Robinson, Patrick Keith Dimond, Philip Jeffrey Robinson, Amelia Elizabeth Haddad, Rebecca Jeanne Dimond, Emaline Roane Haddad, Lilly Anne Beringson, Owen Davis Beringson, George Boone Shaver, and John Stephen Shaver, all of Savannah, GA; by her brother, Frank Southall (Mary); and by her nephew, Anthony Roane Southall, all of Richmond, VA.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth W. Southall, Jr. and Mary Josephine Southall, née Stahl; by her children, Stephen Roane Haddad and Jeanne Meredith Robinson, née Haddad; by her nephew, Kenneth William Southall, III; and by her son-in-law, Jacob Lawrence Dimond.

A private burial will be held by her children and grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations to be made to the Native American Rights Fund, or to First Nations Development Institute.