Obituary of Marilyn Sturgis

Marilyn Sugden Sturgis of North Chatham, MA died after a brief illness on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at her daughter’s home in Duxbury, MA. Marilyn will be most fondly remembered by family and friends for her kindness, grace, devotion and generous spirit. Marilyn was the cornerstone of the family, and provided a warm and welcome haven to all those she held dear. Marilyn had a gift to adopt and embrace new friends in her community or resulting from her extensive travels. The motto she lived by was “carpe diem”. Marilyn was born on August 11, 1921 and was raised by her aunt and uncle Ida and Arthur Robinson in Forest Hills, New York. She graduated from Berkeley Institute in Brooklyn, New York, Bradford Junior College and Oberlin College, class of 1943. Marilyn taught kindergarten and coached sports at St. Agnes School in Albany, NY and Green Vale School in Glen Head, New York. Marilyn married Robert Post Sturgis on June 12, 1948 and was married for 32 years, until his death in 1980. Marilyn and Bob raised their family in Woodbury, New Jersey and Greenwich, CT. In Woodbury, she was an active volunteer for many organizations including the Presbyterian Church, the Boy Scouts, the library and the AAUW. In Greenwich, Marilyn continued her active volunteerism where she was the President of the Women’s Volunteer Association for the Greenwich Hospital, the President of the Stamford Girls Club, the President of the Women’s Association of the First Presbyterian Church and the President of the Darien Community Association. In 1982, Marilyn retired to the family’s summer home in North Chatham, MA where she lived for the remainder of her life. She was a member of the Pilgrim Congregational Church of Harwichport, the Chatham Community Garden Club, the Chatham Library Association, Eastward Ho Country Club, the Allen’s Harbor Yacht Club, the Monomoy Yacht Club, and the Chatham Beach & Tennis Club. Marilyn leaves her son and daughter-in-law Robert and Susan Sturgis of Sugarland, TX and grandchildren Roman, Lindsley, Trevor and Callum, her daughter Kate Sturgis and her husband Robert Mustard, Jr. and granddaughter Cameron Burnham, and her daughter and son-in-law Joan and Paul Parsons and grandchildren Sarah and Tyler. Marilyn also leaves her long-time dear friend Robert Wilson of Palo Alto, CA and West Dennis, MA. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, Harwichport, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jordan Hospital 275 Sandwich St. Plymouth, MA 02360 or the Pilgrim Congregational Church of Harwichport, MA.