‘A Yellow House in the Mountains’ is a story of overcoming adversity. Lyle and Marylin lean on each other to build a legacy never to be forgotten. Challenges come early and often, yet their determination and faith push them forward in pursuing their dreams.
The historical novel opens with Lyle Hileman, a somewhat troubled and awkward teenager, trying to fit into his high school environment with mixed results. He made the varsity football team as a sophomore but later had a scuffle with the law, resulting in a year’s probation and the loss of his driver’s license. Early on, it’s unclear how Lyle will navigate the life ahead of him.
Things begin to change for the better for Lyle when he meets a new girl at school named Marilyn Morris, who recently moved to Colorado from El Paso, Texas. They soon fall in love and begin a decades-long journey together.
The events of the 20th century form the backdrop for the touching story of Lyle and Marilyn. They must face financial, physical, and emotional challenges. Unexpectedly pregnant at only sixteen, Marilyn moves in with Lyle’s parents while he goes through basic training in the Marines for possible deployment to Korea. When he returns home to his parents, the couple begins the process of building a life with each other.
It was a dream come true, and the book title, Lyle and Marilyn’s Yellow House required over a decade to complete. It was a project on which they worked together. Living in the mountains was hard, but the Hilemans loved it. Upon retirement, Lyle and Marilyn embarked on a series of adventures across the U.S. and internationally, including their children, spouses, and grandkids. As the book’s author makes clear, the two-valued family above all else.
Written by Glenn Hileman, the son of Lyle and Marilyn, “A Yellow House in the Mountains” covers the triumphs and travails of his parents making their way through the rugged landscape of Colorado. The couple was married for sixty-eight years, producing sixty-one children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Though Glenn’s voice conspicuously intrudes on the objectivity of the narrative, the tale is nonetheless compelling. Tragically, both Lyle and Marilyn perished in the Colorado East Troublesome Fire – the only casualties in the fastest-moving fire in history. Notwithstanding, Lyle and Marilyn left an unforgettable legacy that most readers will find a captivating saga.
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