Steep Falls - Marilyn Austin, beloved mother, nana, sister, and friend, passed away on Friday, October 1, 2021, with her son and her partner by her side.
Marilyn was born on December 11, 1951, in Waterville, Maine, the daughter of Roland Austin and Muriel Briggs. It would be 12 years before the first of her brothers arrived following Muriel’s second marriage to Charles Pitrat, a span that Marilyn referred to as her “only child” period. In a time before pervasive technology, she developed an array of eclectic talents to entertain herself. She taught herself how to speak fluent pig latin, how to say the alphabet backwards, and how to make her patented “bird face.” She learned how to swim a perfect breaststroke, how to find impatiens that would explode upon touch, and how to play an assortment of games. She developed a unique and distinctive style of handwriting, a talent for cooking, and a wonderful sense of humor. Treading through the Maine backcountry alongside her beloved Papa, she also learned how to fish and how to observe and value nature deeply.
From her youth, Marilyn quickly jumped into a world of grown-up responsibility. She married her first husband, Joseph Daniels, early and gave birth to their son, Zachary, while she was still only 18 years old. She and Joseph were young, and despite early happiness, they, before long, grew into different people, and Marilyn soon found herself a single mother. Times could be tough and money was often tight, but Marilyn was always well-equipped for her role as a mom. She worked hard in low-paying jobs, she kept up on household chores and meals, she helped with homework (she was a particular stickler for grammar), and she had additional personal challenges to face, but she always ensured that her son had everything he needed. Further, despite the weight of her obligations, Marilyn ceaselessly maintained a playful spirit. She never stopped valuing silliness, and she and Zachary grew up having fun.
Still working, still young herself, and still raising a 12-year-old son, Marilyn put herself through school and graduated from the nursing program at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute in 1983. Her sense of humor and deeply caring spirit made her an exceptional professional in her field for the next 35 years. Specializing in long-term care, she brought joy, warmth, and dignity to countless individuals in the final stages of their lives. Her regard for them was sincere and heartfelt.
As a nurse, one of her positions found her in Youville Hospital in Massachusetts. It was there that she met her kindred spirit, best friend, and life partner, Ellen Gunn. Ellen had a wit, an enjoyment of life, and a generosity of spirit that matched her own. Their connection was immediate and everlasting. Together, they spent the next three decades sharing laughter, raising cats and dogs, spending days at beaches and lakes, entertaining friends and family, and spoiling “the boy,” their daughter-in-law, and their grandbabies with an unceasing tide of food, entertainment, gifts, and hilarity. Most of all, Marilyn and Ellen loved, supported, and took care of each other selflessly and wholeheartedly.
Though she will be missed dearly, Marilyn’s kindness, her honesty, her work ethic, her propensity for giving, her ability to put a smile on the faces of those around her, and her deep capacity for love will never be forgotten.
Marilyn is survived by her son, Zachary Daniels and his wife Becky; by her partner, Ellen Gunn; by her grandchildren, Gabriel and Kelsey Daniels; by her brothers, Pete Pitrat and his wife Kim, Lee Pitrat and his wife Melissa, and Stuart Pitrat; by her nephews and nieces, Aaron Pitrat, Jen Xu, Moira Pitrat, and Liam Pitrat; and by her pets, Jeckle, Tiger Woods, Ziggy, and Dickens.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday Oct. 8 from 6-8 PM at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Rt. 22) in Buxton. A funeral service will be held on Saturday Oct. 9 at 2 PM at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, Groveville Rd., in Buxton with a repast to follow at the home of Marilyn’s son.
To honor Marilyn's love of her furry friends, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland at P.O. Box 336, Westbrook, Maine 04098, or at their website at http://www.arlgp.org.