Marilyn Irvine

FORT EDWARD — Marilyn Irvine, the Queen of East Road and matriarch of the Gates clan, joined her beloved husband and parents Friday, June 21, at the age of 90.

Born February 28, 1929, in Glens Falls, N.Y., Marilyn was the only child of Gerald and Catherine (Gates) Rivers.

Marilyn loved growing up on LaClaire Street in Hudson Falls and was very proud her father was a Hudson Falls police sergeant. In 1946 she graduated from Hudson Falls High School, where she made many friends. She stayed in touch with several of them well into her 80s, having lunch once a month with her “El Grupo” girlfriends.

Marilyn was working at Sears in downtown Glens Falls when she met the love of her life, Ken Irvine. They married on June 6, 1948, when Marilyn was just 19. He passed away Sept. 23, 2001, after 53 wonderful years of marriage.

After Ken’s graduation from SUNY Cobleskill, they bought a home on East Road in Fort Edward. Never envisioning herself as a farmer’s wife, Marilyn assumed that role in the first few years of marriage, raising chickens, turkeys and four daughters with her husband. Marilyn remained a homemaker until her daughters were in school, when she went to work in the cafeteria at Maple Street School in Hudson Falls. In the mid-1970s she became the Health Office Assistant at Dix Avenue School, a position she held until her retirement in 2000 at age 71. Marilyn is fondly remembered by many teachers, staff, and students – her “Dix Avenue Dandies” – and their parents. She also worked for her dear friends Kaye and Henry Barbieri at DaJon’s, selling bell-bottoms to the local teenagers.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Marilyn was proud to have been a member of four local Episcopal churches at some point during her life. She taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, served as a chalice bearor, and took Communion to shut-ins. She also was a member of Daughters of the King. Marilyn felt particularly blessed by the Marriage Encounter ministry she shared with her husband for many years. She and Ken were Area Coordinators and also a Presenting Couple, going on weekend retreats to several states to share the experiences in their relationship with others. After retiring, Marilyn stayed busy as the local Marriage Encounter registrar. Marilyn and Ken also worked together as Rape Crisis volunteers and at Beaver Cross camp in Cooperstown, Marilyn as a secretary and Ken at the snack bar.

Marilyn and Ken camped at the Lake George Battlegrounds when their girls were young and still enjoyed camping in later years, taking trips in their RV to Minnesota, the Finger Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and Oceanwood Campground in Maine with their Siberian Husky, Misha. Marilyn always had a soft spot for Brant Lake, having spent summers there as a girl. She was able to spend time there last summer, relaxing on the beach in her sunglasses or lounging on the porch watching Blue Bloods on her tablet.

Among Marilyn’s favorite pastimes in retirement were knitting prayer shawls and watching the NFL and NBA on TV, especially Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. But the one thing she loved more than chocolate was her family. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters Kathy Burke and her husband Michael of Fort Edward, Kerry Dudley and her husband TJ of Comanche, Texas, Laurie Kuba and her husband Ron of Fort Edward, and Patty Dangelico and her husband Glenn of Lakeland, Florida. She is also survived by grandchildren Lisa Hale and her husband Brian, Shannon Burke Ayala and Christopher Burke, Stephen Dangelico (Donna Litaker), Patrick Dudley (Jean Lonie), Gerald Dudley and his wife Deirdre McKenna, Geoffrey Dudley and his husband Matthew Bailey, Nicole Kuba (Beau Blanchard) and Shelby Kuba (Morgan Brown); great-grandchildren Alcides “Trey” Ayala III, Briley Hale, and Anthony Dangelico; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family would like to thank the Community Hospice team as well as caregivers Heather, Shawna, Rayna, Taylor, Penny and Judy.

Calling hours are from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at Carleton Funeral Home, 68 Main St., Hudson Falls. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 27, at Church of the Messiah, 296 Glen St., Glens Falls, with Bishop David Bena and the Rev. Karl Kuhn presiding.

Memorial donations may be made to Christ the King Spiritual Life Center, 575 Burton Rd, Greenwich, NY 12834 or Church of the Messiah, 296 Glen St # 1, Glens Falls, NY 12801 or Doreen’s Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, 293 1/2 Main St, Hudson Falls, NY 12839.