Marilyn McGuire

Marilyn McGuire

December 21, 1928 - August 30, 2025

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Marilyn McGuire, 96, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025. She was born Marilyn McBride in 1928 in Passaic, NJ, the younger daughter of Mary and William McBride. Her father was the editor of the Passaic Herald News newspaper, and she had vivid childhood memories of him reporting on the Great Depression and World War II.


Marilyn attended her first year of college at Endicott College in Massachusetts, and her second year at Caldwell College in New Jersey. Fifty years later, Marilyn returned to Caldwell College and completed her Bachelor's degree in English.


Marilyn worked as an executive secretary for most of her career, most recently at ABB Simcon in Bloomfield.


Marilyn was known for her cheerful disposition and could easily engage anyone in conversation. Marilyn loved sharing old family stories and detailed accounts of her travels abroad. Marilyn was a devout Catholic throughout her life, proud of her Irish heritage, and passionately devoted to her family.

Marilyn met the love of her life, Edmund McGuire, a World War II veteran. They married in 1955, and raised six children together, living in Passaic and later Bloomfield, NJ. Edmund predeceased her in 2014, after 59 years of marriage.

She was also predeceased by her older sister, Eileen McLaughlin.


Marilyn is survived by her daughter Mary Sullivan (David), sons Edmund, William (Anne Marie), Andrew (Patricia), John, and David (Caroline), her grandchildren Sean (Amanda), Thomas, William, Michael, Caitlin Garguilo (David), Brian (Marlene), and Christopher, great-grandchildren Vincent, Lilia, Manuel, Leo Garguilo, and Rory, and numerous other relatives, including nephew Maurice McLaughlin, whom she frequently referred to as her ‘sixth son'.


For the past several years Marilyn resided at The Cliffs at Eagle Rock, an assisted living community in West Orange, where she made many friends, engaged in numerous activities, and was lovingly cared for by the excellent staff. The family wishes to acknowledge the special care given to Marilyn for the past 3 years.


Services will be private at a later date.

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HL
Halpin-Bitecola Brookdale Funeral & Cremation Services LLC.
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With heartfelt condolences
MR
Marilyn Holdsworth Restione
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Marilyn and I first met in the 4th grade when she transferred into my school. I was 'teacher's pet', class leader and suddenly here she was....same name, cute, new, interesting...I was jealous and afraid of losing may status! I began a sneaky whispering campaign which fortunately I can no longer remember! When some classmates stopped talkingI called her o to her and I realized what awful thing I had done I called her on the phone on Saturday....."I am so sorry, I feel terrible that I hurt you....." there was a very brief pause and then, "Okay, can you come over to my house and we'll have lunch?" Over hot dogs on red paper plates and orange napkins.....I c an't believe you forgave me!" "Well, I couldn't believe you said you were sorry....Ive never apologized to anybody in my life!" Totally impressed with one another, we began a wonderful best friend connection that enriched my growing up years immeasurably! Of course it was bolstered by the fact that we were both named Marilyn and that my birthday was June 21, on the summer solstice and she was born exactly six months later on December 21, the winter solstice. That actually seemed like magic to both on us......and maybe it was! We had such adventures, egging each other on, sharing, laughing and learning through the teen years, college, first jobs and to an amazing nine-week trip of a lfetime tour of Europe! The world survived us and we came home, settled down (somewhat), finding our wonderful husbands and marrying in the same year! Building great families, moving to different places, we did not always stay in touch but birthday telephone calls and Marlyn's wonderful son, John driving Marilyn from north Jesey to South Jersey to visit me helped. We spent most visits talking. laughing. crying, totally enjoying, interrupting each other telling the stories about those early years. What a gift you were, sweet, lovable, other self you are, Marilyn.

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