Marilyn Piken

April 18, 1930 - May 18, 2022
Marilyn Piken passed away of natural causes with her sons Harry and Robert at her side.

Marilyn was born on April 18, 1930 in Brooklyn, New York to Helen and Harry Silverman. Helen was a homemaker and Harry was in the ladies' hat business. A strong-willed only child, Marilyn attended Franklin K. Lane High School in Brooklyn, New York. She worked in the retail clothing business and pursued acting, where her physical beauty, depth, charm and charisma provided her with great advantages. She ultimately realized that starting a family was her real passion.

In her twenties, Marilyn met the love of her life, Herbert Piken, while vacationing in Miami. Herbert was embarking on a commercial real estate career. With his stunning partner Marilyn at his side, he was able to find success like never before. They married on August 16, 1959 and celebrated 60 wonderful anniversaries together before Herb's passing in 2020.

While Marilyn and Herb were opposite personality types, they could not have been more made for each other. Herb was the more even-tempered of the two, Marilyn the more intense. She used to say good naturedly, "I hold grudges." Herb definitely did not. With Marilyn there was not a lot of middle ground. You knew exactly where you stood with her. To everyone's surprise, Marilyn insisted that she was easygoing. This claim was a source of amusement among her, her family and her friends. People would respond that she possessed countless great qualities but that being easygoing was not one of them. The couple's deep love and devotion for each other were undeniable to anyone who knew them.

In 1962, after experiencing the irresistible Southern California weather during his business trips, Marilyn and Herb decided to move from New York to Los Angeles. At first they lived in a small apartment in Brentwood. Eventually they moved to a house in Tarzana followed by a house in Studio City, which was their residence until their passing. Marilyn became a wonderful mother to two sons from Herb's first marriage, Tommy and Dickie, both of whom sadly predeceased them. Later, their sons Harry and Robert were born. Marilyn was the foundation of the family and the best mother ever.

She dabbled in residential real estate but focused on being a traditional homemaker. While Herb ran the business, there was no doubt who ran the house. Marilyn used to say that wives would often let husbands appear to be in charge in marriage even though the reality was often quite different. Not one person worried that Marilyn wasn't assertive enough in the relationship. And only with her inspiration and support could Herb have reached such tremendous success as a preeminent shopping center developer and founder of The Piken Company.

Marilyn was very fond of art and culture. She took art extension courses at UCLA with friends, eventually hosting classes at the house. She also loved reading books, from Nancy Drew when she was younger to novels and political pieces later in life. Her intense curiosity about a variety of subjects was imparted upon her family, although Marilyn was definitely the most intellectually oriented of the group.

Marilyn was an exceedingly kind and compassionate person. Her honesty and loyalty were unsurpassed. She maintained countless lifelong friends, many with very different points of view, and stuck by all of them in times of need. Her sharp sense of humor and quick, dry wit were ingratiating to everyone. She possessed an infectious laugh and was a great listener. Her special warmth filled any room.

Despite Herb's financial success, Marilyn always remained down-to-earth. Consistent with her humble upbringing, she was not interested in trying to impress others. She insisted on Herb turning over his used Cadillac to her each time his lease ended rather than getting a new vehicle as he would have gladly provided. She did not have any interest in the "ladies who lunch" crowd. Rather than eating at fancy restaurants or shopping at expensive department stores, she focused on spending time with her true friends and her family. Her family members also included many dogs over the years. To say that she was a true dog lover would be a tremendous understatement.

Marilyn and Herb did have some indulgences, and traveling was one of them. They enjoyed seeing different parts of the world and going on many cruises. They also loved staying at the Del Coronado Hotel, starting when their children were very young. Later they cherished frequent visits to their beautiful Newport Beach condo. Whether at home or elsewhere, every night together they enjoyed Beefeater gin martinis with a touch of vermouth - hers with an olive and his with a twist.

In their later years, they were able to spend even more time relaxing and being with family and friends. They loved following the many published articles written by Harry in the field of tropical fish, his expertise. They also followed the commercial real estate career of Robert, who worked in the family business with his mentor and idol father. Tennis, usually on their unique cantilevered court, was from early on central to the life of the entire Piken family and their friends. Marilyn and Herb also enjoyed battling against each other in backgammon every day. A very social and fun couple, they loved dinners, parties and entertaining. Marilyn was a fantastic cook and host. She was known for offering her famous peanut butter chicken and iced tea lemonade drink to her guests. The Piken house was known as the place to be if you wanted to have fun.

Marilyn and Herb donated to numerous charities such as Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, City of Hope, Pasadena Playhouse, Wounded Warriors, ASPCA and to countless individuals in need. They were members of Temple Israel of Hollywood. They proudly donated the front entry gates at Harry and Robert's elementary alma mater Campbell Hall in memory of their son Tommy.

Marilyn is survived by her sons Harry and Robert. She will forever be remembered by family and friends as a loving and extremely devoted daughter, wife and mother, a wonderful person of the highest integrity and a classy lady. She was definitely one-of-a-kind and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

At the very end, Marilyn would look up and call out for Herb, even requesting that he listen better. This was a common refrain of hers during their precious marriage. She wanted to be with him. Now they are together again.

In Marilyn's memory, please consider donating to your favorite charity.