Marla Sterling

Marla Sterling
Marla Sterling, 76, passed away on November 19, 2025. Born in Brooklyn, NY to Abe and Reva (Portnoy) Surow, she grew up in West Harrison, NY and moved to Norwalk in 1985. She graduated from New York University, later earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Manhattanville College in her 50s, and completed all but her final thesis in an EdD in Storytelling as an Educational Tool from Walden University.
As an accomplished actress, poet, and teacher, she was dedicated to celebrating the arts in many forms – from leading the "Learning to Look" visual arts program in her daughter's elementary school, managing the Education department of Shakespeare on the Sound, and performing off-Broadway and regionally in the Tri-state area. She adored the latter part of her career spent sparking a love of language, reading, and writing in students at Nathan Hale Middle School. In her retirement, she was deeply involved in many local poetry and fiction writing groups, which brought her great joy and wonderful friendships. Several of her stories and poems have been published, and she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Marla is predeceased by her husband Bob and will be deeply missed by daughter Lilia and son-in-law Alex; brother and sister-in-law Jason and Donna; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Michael and Anita; niece Julia; nephew Eric; and granddaughter Ruby, the light of her life.
Graveside services will be held at Sharon Gardens Cemetery in Valhalla, NY, on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m. Shiva will be held at the family home in Norwalk on Sunday and Monday from 9-12 p.m. and 4-7p.m. In lieu of sending the family flowers, please celebrate her life by planting a tree, volunteering in a garden, writing a poem, or dedicating daffodils at the New York Botanical Garden.