Marilyn Sugden Sturgis of North Chatham died after a brief illness on Weds, Jan. 23, at her daughter’s home in Duxbury. She was 87 years old.

Mrs. Sturgis will be most fondly remembered by family and friends for her kindness, grace, devotion and generous spirit.  She was the cornerstone of the family, and provided a warm and welcome haven to all those she held dear.

Marilyn Sturgis

She was born on Aug. 11, 1921 and was raised by her aunt and uncle Ida and Arthur Robinson in Forest Hills, N.Y. She graduated from Berkeley Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., Bradford Junior College and Oberlin College, class of 1943.

Mrs. Sturgis taught kindergarten and coached sports at St. Agnes School in Albany, N.Y. and Green Vale School in Glen Head, N.Y.  She married the late Robert Post Sturgis on June 12, 1948. They were married for 32 years. They raised their family in Woodbury, N.J. and Greenwich, Conn.  In Woodbury, she was an active volunteer for many organizations including the Presbyterian Church, the Boy Scouts, the library and the AAUW.  In Greenwich, she 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, she retired to the family’s summer home in North Chatham 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 and Tennis Club.

Mrs. Sturgis leaves her son and daughter-in-law Robert and Susan Sturgis of Sugarland, Texas 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. She also leaves her long-time dear friend Robert Wilson of Palo Alto, Calif. and West Dennis.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 17 at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Harwichport.  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.