Obituary of Marilyn Fiumano

Marilyn Fiumano, beloved wife and cherished mother and grandmother, passed away at 85 years of age on June 26th at Sussman House in Rockport, Maine. 

Marilyn was born and raised on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York, and spent her summers in the Catskill mountains. Some of her best childhood memories were made at the Plaza Bungalow Colony in Liberty, New York. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where she missed a record 135 days her first (and only) year of employment there. When she was eighteen years old, she met the love of her life, “Nicky,” in Coney Island, when he asked her for directions to Nathan’s Hot Dogs (he knew very well where it was). In 1957, they married, thus embarking on an exciting life together. Marilyn enjoyed music and dancing, and she and Nick loved to do the Lindy, the Mambo, and the Fox Trot. They saw shows at all the popular nightclubs, including Club 82, The Latin Quarter, and the Copacabana in New York City. They traveled to casinos in Atlantic City and  Las Vegas, where Marilyn loved to roll the dice for her husband at the craps tables. They spent summer weeks at Saratoga Springs and at Brown’s Hotel in the Catskills, and winters skiing in Montreal and Quebec. 

In 1971, Marilyn and Nick traveled to Florida together to pick up their newborn daughter, Donna, whom they adopted when she was a week old. The family moved to Long Island, New York, where they remained for over 50 years. Marilyn took great pride in her roles as wife and mother and lovingly dedicated herself to her husband and daughter. Later, she cherished her time with her three adoring grandsons, passing on to them both her love of adventure and her sense of irreverence. 

Marilyn had exquisite taste and a talent for decorating, and she could make any space beautiful, warm and inviting. She loved animals, particularly dogs; classic films like “Funny Girl” and “Gypsy”; and big, loud Sunday dinners with her family and friends. 

Marilyn was bold, opinionated, fun, outspoken, vibrant, and, above all, exceedingly loving and loyal to those close to her. She will be missed beyond measure by her family and by many lifelong friends. 

Marilyn is survived by her husband, Nicholas; daughter, Donna (Todd); grandsons, Jonah, Phoenix and Gabriel; brother, Frank, of New York; and cousin, Lita, of New Jersey. 

A celebration of her life will be held in New York at a later date.