Meet Marilyn Zerbes — LUM Bookkeeper

Marilyn Martin Zerbes lives in Lafayette. She is originally from a small town in Virginia called Bremo Bluff. Marilyn is a former CPA with a BS in accounting from Purdue University. She is a parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas and works with various nonprofits including serving as a board member of a local foundation.

Marilyn is married to Mark Zerbes; and they have three children, all of whom are married with children of their own. They have four grand-daughters and two grandsons with one on the way. Marilyn loves spending time with her family and friends.

Marilyn’s faith is important to her. She finds peace, joy, love and strength, beyond measure, in knowing that if she listens she will know what God really has in mind for her. She is also inspired by “faith in action” including human kindness, forgiveness in the face of wrong-doing, and the resilience of the human spirit.

One of Marilyn’s passions is flower gardening and is a Master Gardener intern. She also loves everything old – antique furniture, tchotchkes, and her home, which is over 100 years old. Marilyn’s guilty pleasures are period TV dramas with cockney accents — Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife.

Marilyn has always admired the work of LUM – helping people while treating them with great dignity and respect. She states:

“LUM is a good steward of the time and talent that is entrusted to it.”

In her position as the LUM Bookkepper, Marilyn’s goals are to do her job well by managing the business of LUM and providing the infrastructure to support the client services as well as the direct service providers. She believes in serving the LUM clients and stake holders well and being transparent.

Marilyn shared,

“I love the staff and am amazed by the dedication and hard work done by the member churches and the many, many volunteers.

LUM runs smoothly and efficiently. I am edified by so many people working together for the good of others.”

She is excited to be a part of the LUM team and to begin having a positive impact on the community through her work. And LUM is fortunate to have Marilyn join the LUM staff.

Marilyn’s Favorite Poem

My Symphony

by William Henry Channing

To live content with small means.

To seek elegance rather than luxury,

And refinement rather than fashion.

To be worthy not respectable,

And wealthy not rich.

To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,

Act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,

And sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,

Do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual,

Unbidden and unconscious,

Grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.