Obituary for Marilyn Derose (Motyka)
Marilyn Victoria Derose passed away peacefully surrounded by love, on February 25, 2023 at St. Francis Hospital.
Marilyn was an Enfield townie through and through. She was born in Thompsonville CT on January 29, 1932 to John and Julia (Tenerowicz) Motyka, in the corner house on Whitworth Street, which still stands today.
She attended Enfield schools from kindergarten through High school, Class of 1949, where she earned the superlative “Most Talkative” in Junior High at the A.D. Higgins School and also voted “Most Cheerful” in High School, traits that continued throughout her life.
Marilyn enjoyed life! She graduated from Bay Path Junior College with an Associates Degree, then met her future husband, Giovanni Derose. They settled in Enfield on Aloha Drive and raised their family in the quintessential 1960’s, where a kid could knock on the neighbor’s door and ask for a popsicle and everyone knew everyone.
Marilyn and Gio enjoyed Square dancing with their siblings, hosting Christmas dinners with the entire family, and taking family vacations to the Cape, Expo ’67, and touring New England and parts beyond. She was a Girl Scout leader and followed her children’s sporting and extracurricular activities. Marilyn worked in the Enfield Public School system, working as a Housemaster’s secretary at Kosciuszko Jr. High School and retiring from the Central Office.
She was an active member of many groups including the Polish Junior League of Connecticut, The Woman’s Club of Enfield and the Red Hat Firecrackers, where she met and stayed friends with many people along the way.
She was up for any adventure, be it traveling to China or California, going on a mystery bus trip, trying out a new restaurant, seeing a play or spending the day at Old Silver Beach with her grandchildren. Reading was an absolute passion for her entire life.
Above all else, Marilyn love talking with people and asking questions like “What book are you reading?” or “Oh, what did you have to eat?”. She really cared about who she was with and made people feel special and loved. She was a devoted and true friend to all. She faced unexpected adversity in her life and used her faith, love and family to lead her best life.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Giovanni and her son, Peter. She is survived by her daughters, Diane, of Enfield and Elizabeth and her husband, John Farrell, of Mansfield Mass., and her two grandchildren, Elizabeth Farrell of Boston MA and Aidan Farrell of Mansfield Mass. She also leaves some very good friends, Rose Sokol, Madeline Netkovick and Mary Isopo.
As written in her yearbook: She’s full of fun and frolic galore, She’s the one we all adore
Marilyn would have liked you to go live life, eat good food and be curious.
Services will be held at the Leete Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Road, Enfield CT on Wednesday March 8 starting with visitation at 11:00 am followed by a Celebration of Life service at noon. Burial will follow at St. Adalbert Cemetery.
Memorial Donations in Marilyn’s name may be made to either:
The Lion’s Low Vision Center. Please make checks out to Enfield Lion’s Club and mail to Bill Vayda, 139 Raymond Road, Windsor Locks, CT 06096 or The Woman’s Club of Enfield, P.O. Box 80, Enfield, CT 06082.
Marilyn was an Enfield townie through and through. She was born in Thompsonville CT on January 29, 1932 to John and Julia (Tenerowicz) Motyka, in the corner house on Whitworth Street, which still stands today.
She attended Enfield schools from kindergarten through High school, Class of 1949, where she earned the superlative “Most Talkative” in Junior High at the A.D. Higgins School and also voted “Most Cheerful” in High School, traits that continued throughout her life.
Marilyn enjoyed life! She graduated from Bay Path Junior College with an Associates Degree, then met her future husband, Giovanni Derose. They settled in Enfield on Aloha Drive and raised their family in the quintessential 1960’s, where a kid could knock on the neighbor’s door and ask for a popsicle and everyone knew everyone.
Marilyn and Gio enjoyed Square dancing with their siblings, hosting Christmas dinners with the entire family, and taking family vacations to the Cape, Expo ’67, and touring New England and parts beyond. She was a Girl Scout leader and followed her children’s sporting and extracurricular activities. Marilyn worked in the Enfield Public School system, working as a Housemaster’s secretary at Kosciuszko Jr. High School and retiring from the Central Office.
She was an active member of many groups including the Polish Junior League of Connecticut, The Woman’s Club of Enfield and the Red Hat Firecrackers, where she met and stayed friends with many people along the way.
She was up for any adventure, be it traveling to China or California, going on a mystery bus trip, trying out a new restaurant, seeing a play or spending the day at Old Silver Beach with her grandchildren. Reading was an absolute passion for her entire life.
Above all else, Marilyn love talking with people and asking questions like “What book are you reading?” or “Oh, what did you have to eat?”. She really cared about who she was with and made people feel special and loved. She was a devoted and true friend to all. She faced unexpected adversity in her life and used her faith, love and family to lead her best life.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Giovanni and her son, Peter. She is survived by her daughters, Diane, of Enfield and Elizabeth and her husband, John Farrell, of Mansfield Mass., and her two grandchildren, Elizabeth Farrell of Boston MA and Aidan Farrell of Mansfield Mass. She also leaves some very good friends, Rose Sokol, Madeline Netkovick and Mary Isopo.
As written in her yearbook: She’s full of fun and frolic galore, She’s the one we all adore
Marilyn would have liked you to go live life, eat good food and be curious.
Services will be held at the Leete Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Road, Enfield CT on Wednesday March 8 starting with visitation at 11:00 am followed by a Celebration of Life service at noon. Burial will follow at St. Adalbert Cemetery.
Memorial Donations in Marilyn’s name may be made to either:
The Lion’s Low Vision Center. Please make checks out to Enfield Lion’s Club and mail to Bill Vayda, 139 Raymond Road, Windsor Locks, CT 06096 or The Woman’s Club of Enfield, P.O. Box 80, Enfield, CT 06082.