Marilyn (Shapiro) Loitherstein, 95

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NEWTON – Marilyn S. (Shapiro) Loitherstein of Newton, died on December 30, 2021, after a long illness; she was 95.

She was born in Boston, on November 14, 1926, to Rose (Cohen) and Louis Shapiro.

Survivors include her son, Joel (and his wife, Senate President Karen Spilka) of Ashland, her daughters, Susan Glovsky (and her husband, Steven) of Wayland, and Judy Kalisker (and her husband, Martin) of Natick, MA, her granddaughter Heather Margolis (and her husband, Simeon) of Boulder, CO, grandsons Scott Loitherstein of New York, NY, Jake Loitherstein of Ashland, MA, Lowell Glovsky of Arvada, CO and her great-granddaughters, Lilah and Grayson Margolis of Boulder, CO. She was predeceased by her sister, Gertrude Freedman, with whom she spoke at least daily, and adored her niece and nephews and their families, and many cousins with whom she was very close. Leonard, her loving and devoted husband of more than 41 years, pre-deceased her in 1991.

Marilyn was devoted to her family and lived life to the fullest. She loved her husband, extended family, many friends, shopping, and dining out. She particularly enjoyed entertaining family for the Jewish Holidays and Thanksgiving, weekly canasta games with her friends, B’nai B’rith Mayflower Chapter, where she served as President, Temple Emeth, and cooking her family’s favorite foods.

Marilyn was raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and was a proud graduate at 16 of the Jeremiah E. Burke Girls’ High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree at 20 from Boston University with a major in math and minors in physics and French. She spent two summers at Middlebury College’s French immersion program where she was graded native in fluency, and she received accolades on her French when she visited Paris in 1992.

Marilyn and Lenny married in 1950, and their love was immediate (getting engaged after just a few weeks) and enduring.

She became a full-time mother and homemaker until the late 1970s when she went back to work as a substitute teacher in Framingham and Newton Public Schools. Math, French and Science teachers requested her to be their substitute for years, and she spent more than 20 years as a member of the Instructional Support Staff, essentially a “permanent substitute,” at Newton South, retiring at age 82.

Anyone who had the fortune to meet her was immediately a “friend,” and her friends and family remember most her intelligence, memory and devotion, and pride in her family. Her life with Lenny was filled with family and an extensive network of friends Marilyn cherished throughout her life.

Even after dementia robbed Marilyn of some of her wit and intelligence, she continued to look forward to seeing and hearing about her children, grandchildren and great-granddaughters. Marilyn’s family is particularly grateful to the staff at Whitney Place in Natick, Tapestry memory care, Beaumont at Natick and the Salmon family. These caregivers are an everlasting inspiration to Marilyn’s children for the exceptional care they took of our mother, particularly during the pandemic. We are grateful for the frequent updates and opportunities for virtual and outdoor visits after COVID-19 disrupted routines. I

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marilyn’s memory to Temple Emeth in South Brookline, Massachusetts, where she was married and a member for more than 60 years, or the charity of one’s choice.

Service and burial on Monday, January 3, 2022, will be private due to COVID-19.

Arrangements by Stanetsky Memorial Chapels