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July 15, 2010
Services
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 3:00 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, 9 Harrington Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
Marilynn Elaine Spilker (nee Gardner) of Park Ridge, NJ, died on July 15, 2010. She was 90.
Marilynn was born in 1919 at home in Richmond Hills, Queens, New York, where she lived for much of her childhood. She moved with her family to Carlstadt, NJ where they had a productive truck farm, raising pansies and vegetables. After her marriage to Howard Spilker in 1941, she lived briefly in East Rutherford before moving to Wood-Ridge, where she raised her family and enjoyed many happy years. Recently, she moved to Park Ridge.
Marilynn received her formal education at PS 93 in Queens, NY and then at East Rutherford High School, graduating with the Class of 1937. She was employed as a bookkeeper at The George Weed Insurance Agency and later worked for Sportswear by Pronto. She wrote a weekly editorial column for the Wood-Ridge Independent newspaper.
Strong-willed, determined, and fiercely independent, Marilynn was a gracious person and a generous volunteer. She loved to meet new people and solicit their opinions on current events. Her feedback was insightful, articulate and often challenging. She was dedicated to promoting independence through education and committed to literacy. Although a grandmother to four, she was “Grandma” to many in her later years.
Marilynn especially enjoyed giving of herself and devoted many hours over the years to the American Red Cross and the Hackensack University Medical Center. She found volunteer work with a local literacy program especially rewarding. She was a volunteer at the Wood-Ridge Memorial Library and served as a trustee and President of its Board of Trustees. She was also a member and Past Matron of Eclipse Chapter #226, Order of the Easter Star, and Past Mother Advisor of the Bergen Assembly #17, Order of Rainbow for Girls.
Marilynn was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Westwood for many years. As a child, she was an accomplished dance student, a passion that carried forward into her adult life. Her interest included reading, quilting, needlepoint, sewing and other handwork, as well as antiquing. She loved attending theater and was a loyal NY Mets fan, and interest that began prior to the Miracle of 1969. She was happiest when all of her “children” were with her and she was able to share her wisdom with them.
Surviving are her daughter, Elaine Martin and her husband John of Westwood, NJ; her son Chris Spilker and his wife Kathy of Haddon Heights, NJ and grandchildren, Jay Martin and his wife Carol, Benjamin Martin, Christine Garnier and her husband Andrew, and Jimmy Spilker.
Her husband of 64 years, Howard Spilker, predeceased her in May of 2005.
For those inclined to do so in Marilynn’s memory: Memorials gifts can be made to the Wood-Ridge Memorial Library, 231 Hackensack Street, Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 or Grace Episcopal Church (Handicap Accessibility/ Elevator Project), 9 Harrington Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675 or the American Diabetes Association; or a charity of the donor’s choice that supports adult literacy.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 3:00 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, 9 Harrington Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
July 15, 2010
Services
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 3:00 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, 9 Harrington Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
Marilynn Elaine Spilker (nee Gardner) of Park Ridge, NJ, died on July 15, 2010. She was 90.
Marilynn was born in 1919 at home in Richmond Hills, Queens, New York, where she lived for much of her childhood. She moved with her family to Carlstadt, NJ where they had a productive truck farm, raising pansies and vegetables. After her marriage to Howard Spilker in 1941, she lived briefly in East Rutherford before moving to Wood-Ridge, where she raised her family and enjoyed many happy years. Recently, she moved to Park Ridge.
Marilynn received her formal education at PS 93 in Queens, NY and then at East Rutherford High School, graduating with the Class of 1937. She was employed as a bookkeeper at The George Weed Insurance Agency and later worked for Sportswear by Pronto. She wrote a weekly editorial column for the Wood-Ridge Independent newspaper.
Strong-willed, determined, and fiercely independent, Marilynn was a gracious person and a generous volunteer. She loved to meet new people and solicit their opinions on current events. Her feedback was insightful, articulate and often challenging. She was dedicated to promoting independence through education and committed to literacy. Although a grandmother to four, she was “Grandma” to many in her later years.
Marilynn especially enjoyed giving of herself and devoted many hours over the years to the American Red Cross and the Hackensack University Medical Center. She found volunteer work with a local literacy program especially rewarding. She was a volunteer at the Wood-Ridge Memorial Library and served as a trustee and President of its Board of Trustees. She was also a member and Past Matron of Eclipse Chapter #226, Order of the Easter Star, and Past Mother Advisor of the Bergen Assembly #17, Order of Rainbow for Girls.
Marilynn was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Westwood for many years. As a child, she was an accomplished dance student, a passion that carried forward into her adult life. Her interest included reading, quilting, needlepoint, sewing and other handwork, as well as antiquing. She loved attending theater and was a loyal NY Mets fan, and interest that began prior to the Miracle of 1969. She was happiest when all of her “children” were with her and she was able to share her wisdom with them.
Surviving are her daughter, Elaine Martin and her husband John of Westwood, NJ; her son Chris Spilker and his wife Kathy of Haddon Heights, NJ and grandchildren, Jay Martin and his wife Carol, Benjamin Martin, Christine Garnier and her husband Andrew, and Jimmy Spilker.
Her husband of 64 years, Howard Spilker, predeceased her in May of 2005.
For those inclined to do so in Marilynn’s memory: Memorials gifts can be made to the Wood-Ridge Memorial Library, 231 Hackensack Street, Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 or Grace Episcopal Church (Handicap Accessibility/ Elevator Project), 9 Harrington Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675 or the American Diabetes Association; or a charity of the donor’s choice that supports adult literacy.
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