Obituary for Marilyn J. Whitmarsh
Marilyn Jean Whitmarsh died Monday, January 30, 2023 at the age of 71, at Berkshire Medical Center due to complications stemming from a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis.
Marilyn was born on August 29, 1951 in Pittsfield, MA, the third of four daughters to Thomas Major and Isabella St. John. Tom, a truck driver from Pittsfield, and Belle, a seamstress from Adams, started a family in Lee, MA where sisters Eileen, Margaret, Marilyn, and Nancy all grew up. Marilyn and her husband Ronald Whitmarsh married in Pittsfield and made their home in Dalton, MA for the past fifty years. The couple had two children (Allison, Ryan) and five grandchildren.
Intelligent with a strong work ethic, Marilyn was the recipient of two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts (Sociology, Chemistry). She also was awarded the American Institute of Chemists’ Certificate of Scholastic Excellence in 1989. While she used this training for a brief time as an employee of General Electric, Marilyn spent the majority of her life working as an educator in the Pittsfield Public Schools. She primarily taught young women in the Teen Parent Program, tutoring them in science and math, helping them achieve their education goals. Helping so many young women was one of the true joys of Marilyn’s life.
Marilyn enjoyed many other interests throughout her life including gardening, animals, music, traveling, and trivia. She loved the Beatles and guessing songs on the radio. Her yard and living spaces are full of trees, flowers, and shrubs that she selected herself. She had many animals, including several dogs that were always treated as members of the family. And while she was able, she and Ron traveled extensively, having adventures to the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Northwest, and much of Canada.
Affable and quick-witted, Marilyn made lasting friendships easily. She was beloved by her colleagues at TPP and looked forward to yearly New Year’s Eve Trivial Pursuit battles with lifelong friends Peter and Mary Martinelli and Mark and Jean Poopor. Marilyn would contest her teams never lost.
Marilyn is survived by Ron, a devoted and loving caregiver during her long battle with multiple sclerosis, who never once left her side. She is also survived by her children Allison and Ryan, her son-in-law Andrew Forsberg and daughter-in-law Moira Kelleher, Ali’s three children Mia, Kyra, and Kaden, and Ryan’s two daughters Maeve and Rowan. The last surviving daughter of Tom and Belle, Marilyn also leaves behind many nieces and nephews as well as two sisters-in-law, Patricia Niles and Barbara Cousineau and three brothers-in-law, Frederick Dugan, Anthony Buzzanco, and Daniel Mandell.
A fantastic, loving friend, wife, mother, sister, daughter, and grandmother, she adored her family and doted on her grandchildren. All of her family hopes she knows how much we loved and adored her back.
The family would first like to acknowledge the excellent care and hard work the nurses, physicians, doctors, and hospital/nursing home staffs provided Marilyn during her decades-long struggle with MS. Of particular note are the staffs at the Critical Care Unit of BMC and Craneville Place.
Finally, in lieu of a service or flowers, donations can be to the MS Society or programs that benefit at risk teens, in care of Dery-Foley Funeral Home, 890 E. Main St, Dalton, MA 01226. And, if you knew Marilyn, plant a flower or tree to remember her. She would like that. A remembrance service will be planned for the spring.
Marilyn was born on August 29, 1951 in Pittsfield, MA, the third of four daughters to Thomas Major and Isabella St. John. Tom, a truck driver from Pittsfield, and Belle, a seamstress from Adams, started a family in Lee, MA where sisters Eileen, Margaret, Marilyn, and Nancy all grew up. Marilyn and her husband Ronald Whitmarsh married in Pittsfield and made their home in Dalton, MA for the past fifty years. The couple had two children (Allison, Ryan) and five grandchildren.
Intelligent with a strong work ethic, Marilyn was the recipient of two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts (Sociology, Chemistry). She also was awarded the American Institute of Chemists’ Certificate of Scholastic Excellence in 1989. While she used this training for a brief time as an employee of General Electric, Marilyn spent the majority of her life working as an educator in the Pittsfield Public Schools. She primarily taught young women in the Teen Parent Program, tutoring them in science and math, helping them achieve their education goals. Helping so many young women was one of the true joys of Marilyn’s life.
Marilyn enjoyed many other interests throughout her life including gardening, animals, music, traveling, and trivia. She loved the Beatles and guessing songs on the radio. Her yard and living spaces are full of trees, flowers, and shrubs that she selected herself. She had many animals, including several dogs that were always treated as members of the family. And while she was able, she and Ron traveled extensively, having adventures to the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Northwest, and much of Canada.
Affable and quick-witted, Marilyn made lasting friendships easily. She was beloved by her colleagues at TPP and looked forward to yearly New Year’s Eve Trivial Pursuit battles with lifelong friends Peter and Mary Martinelli and Mark and Jean Poopor. Marilyn would contest her teams never lost.
Marilyn is survived by Ron, a devoted and loving caregiver during her long battle with multiple sclerosis, who never once left her side. She is also survived by her children Allison and Ryan, her son-in-law Andrew Forsberg and daughter-in-law Moira Kelleher, Ali’s three children Mia, Kyra, and Kaden, and Ryan’s two daughters Maeve and Rowan. The last surviving daughter of Tom and Belle, Marilyn also leaves behind many nieces and nephews as well as two sisters-in-law, Patricia Niles and Barbara Cousineau and three brothers-in-law, Frederick Dugan, Anthony Buzzanco, and Daniel Mandell.
A fantastic, loving friend, wife, mother, sister, daughter, and grandmother, she adored her family and doted on her grandchildren. All of her family hopes she knows how much we loved and adored her back.
The family would first like to acknowledge the excellent care and hard work the nurses, physicians, doctors, and hospital/nursing home staffs provided Marilyn during her decades-long struggle with MS. Of particular note are the staffs at the Critical Care Unit of BMC and Craneville Place.
Finally, in lieu of a service or flowers, donations can be to the MS Society or programs that benefit at risk teens, in care of Dery-Foley Funeral Home, 890 E. Main St, Dalton, MA 01226. And, if you knew Marilyn, plant a flower or tree to remember her. She would like that. A remembrance service will be planned for the spring.