Marilyn Rita Fitzpatrick

Hyde Park - Marilyn Rita Fitzpatrick, 96, a longtime area resident passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025, surrounded by her family, at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck.

Born April 20, 1929, in Brooklyn, NY, she was the loving daughter of the late William R. and Marion Honeck Marvin.

Marilyn was the first woman in her family to earn her college degree. She received her bachelor's degree from the former St. Joseph's College for Women in Brooklyn. Out of college, she proudly taught first grade in the Baldwin, NY public school system. Later in life, after raising her six children, she went back to (paid) work as the Director of Volunteer Services at Northern Dutchess Hospital for 15 years until her retirement in 1993. During her time at Northern Dutchess, Marilyn increased the number of volunteers from a dozen or two to well over 200.

Thereafter, she was happy spending time with her husband, children and an ever-growing number of grandchildren and then great grandchildren. Having retired as Director of Volunteers, she promptly signed up as a volunteer for the Thompson House Nursing Home where her mother was resident. She continued to volunteer until the covid pandemic when she was forced to stand down (kicking and screaming).

Marilyn's faith was very important to her throughout her lifetime. She was a communicant of Regina Coeli Church in Hyde Park, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and was a member of the Altar Rosary Society and Cursillo Group. Once retired, she attended daily mass where she could be found delivering her homemade soup for any and every sick person she encountered.

When her children were younger, she was a leader of the 4-H Cookie Cutters, the Cub Scouts, Brownies, and, with 6 kids, innumerable class motherships, school trip chaperone and every available position in the PTA. It goes without saying that Marilyn taught CCD classes as well.

In her "spare" time, Marilyn loved playing tennis, and according to her family, made the best cookies, puddings, pies and cakes. To Weight Watchers delight, dinners were not considered complete without desert. But Marilyn's real gift was her ability to befriend anyone. She was the model for the saying: "A stranger is just a friend you haven't met".

On June 6, 1953, in Brooklyn, she married the love of her life, J. Robert ("Bob") Fitzpatrick who predeceased her in 2013. They were blissfully married for 60 years.

Survivors include her six children, Robert Fitzpatrick and wife, Bonnie, of W. Orange, NJ; Brian Fitzpatrick and wife, Lisa, of Norwalk, CT; Gail Fitzpatrick Dowling and husband, Brian, of Hilton Head, SC; Jeanne Marie Fitzpatrick of Downingtown, PA; Karen Fitzpatrick Tooker and husband, David, of Walden, NY; and Mary Ellen Fitzpatrick of Reston, VA; 16 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by infant twins, Mary Anne and Theresa; infant son, Peter Julian; two brothers, William and Robert Marvin; and two sisters-in-law, Marilyn and Joan Marvin.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 Pm, Friday, July 25th at Sweet's Funeral Home, Rte. 9, Hyde Park.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Michael Morris at 10 AM, Saturday, July 26th at Regina Coeli Church, Rte. 9, Hyde Park.

Burial will follow in the family plot at the Town of Rhinebeck Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the Fitzpatrick family respectfully requests memorial donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 2649 South Rd., Suite 101, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (www.alz.org) or the March of Dimes Team 2 Little Angels at: (https://www.marchforbabies.org/Fundraising/Team?teamId=866139&teamEventId=3013576&).

To send an online condolence or for directions, please visit Marilyn's obituary page at www.sweetsfuneralhome.com.