Marilyn Hala

Marilyn Hala, a champion for math education and for social justice, died on Dec. 9, 2004 at her home in Reston, Virginia. She was 87 years old. Her death was a caused by the complications of multiple myeloma.

Marilyn was born November 20, 1937, in Toledo, Iowa, the eldest child of Anton and Lillian (Fetter) Hata. In 1945, the family moved to south of Tama.

Marilyn graduated from Tama High School in 1955 and continued her education at the Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa). She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics Education in 1959.

Marilyn began her teaching career at Columbus High School in Waterloo and continued at West High School in Davenport, Iowa.

She was granted an Academic Year Institute Grant at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) where she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Mathematics Education. She was named an assistant professor of mathematics at Penn State's Shenango Valley Campus. During summer sessions she volunteered to teach for Black Hills State College on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.

The summer experience led her to move to Rosebud to teach full-time at St. Francis Indian School. While she was there, she wrote a grant that funded a math lab that provided hands-on experiences to learning. When the local aides demonstrated they were ready to staff the lab, Marilyn resigned.

Her next move was to Pierre, SD where she was appointed mathematics supervisor in the state's department of education. During this time, she wrote guidelines for teaching mathematics for the state's K-12 teachers. Marilyn also served as regional coordinator for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and was elected to their Board of Directors.

A new position, Director of Professional Programs, was initiated at NCTM Headquarters in Reston, VA and Marilyn was selected to fill the role. Her duties included the overseeing of various grant programs and serving as liaison to committees on instructional issues, professional development, research, and accreditation. She also was a writer of professional teaching standards. She retired in 2004.

During retirement she served as an accreditation reviewer for math teacher preparation programs and tutored students struggling with understanding math. She also became more active in her church.

At St. John Neumann Church in Reston, she served as lector, Eucharistic Minister, visitor to shut-ins, and one of the church's wedding coordinators. One of her favorite activities was helping teenagers during their week at Work Camp.

She is survived by her sister Natalie and husband David Crosson, niece and husband Katrina and Dwayne Allmett and nephews Scott and Kyle Hala. She was preceded in death by her parents Lillian and Anton Hala, brothers and sisters-in-law Norbert and Bobbie Hala and Roger and Sharon Hala.

A memorial service will take place at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, Virginia in Spring 2025 with burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Tama during the summer of 2025.