Marilyn V. Bartle, formerly of Naugatuck, passed away at her home at the age of 70 on Thursday, August 29, 2019, in Southbury.

Marilyn Vyrle Haines was born in Detroit, Mich., on August 10, 1949, to Richard Earl Haines and Florence Bernice McMillian. Marilyn grew up in Dearborn Heights and Livonia, Mich., and graduated from Franklin High School.

Marilyn married her first husband and traveled with the Army with their two daughters for 15-plus years. During her many moves with the Army, she worked various jobs, from demonstrating Panasonic appliances to the military wives in the early 1970s while living in Korea to running a thrift store in Pennsylvania and Alabama to a parts clerk at NCR in Iowa and Dual Lite in Newtown. Her last position before retiring due to her ovarian cancer was in Michigan as a cosmetics and toiletries buyer for department stores. After learning of her illness, her current husband, Bill, retired from the Detroit Police and Army Reserve to move back to Connecticut, so Marilyn could be closer to her two daughters and their families.

While she will be remembered for having a not so good bowling game, she really enjoyed a good game of set back with friends, which she played in a league in Naugatuck. Her quick wit and laughter was infectious, and making her friends smile was just as important as winning any card game. Most weekend nights you would see Marilyn and Bill at the once popular Milestone Bar in Naugatuck. Sitting at their favorite seats, they always had a wonderful group of friends around them enjoying a story or two and sipping some of Marilyn and Bill’s homemade lemoncello.

Marilyn leaves behind her two daughters and their families, Michele and Charlie Payne from Newtown and their children, Ben, Jim, John, and Sarah; and Micola and Russ Paltauf and their children, Ryan and Raegan. Also surviving her is her nephew, Matt Haines, from Kentucky, along with his wife, Tricia, and kids, Bradley and Brianna Alleyn; niece, Kristy Haines, from Michigan, and her daughters, Charlie and Josie. Bill and Marilyn’s Michigan family included children, Danny and Phyllis Bartle and their kids, Crystal (Ryan) Dobson, Cameron, and Coleton, and Tammy and Kurt Podjil and their kids, Anthony and Raymond; Bill’s sister, Linda Kostinko and her partner, Jenny, from Illinois; and Marilyn’s longest friend, Gail Jiskra of Michigan, whom she has been best friends with for the last 60-plus years. Gail has been Marilyn’s biggest cheerleader and favorite baton twirler, who has a lot of sparkle.

Marilyn is predeceased by her parents, Richard in 1965 and Bernice in 2004; her brother, Robert, in 1998, and his wife, Cindy, in 2000; Bill and Marilyn’s grandson, James Bartle, in 2011; and, lastly, her loving husband, Bill, of 22 years, who passed way just a year ago.

Marilyn’s two daughters would like to extend their gratitude to the exceptional care for the last 18-plus years that their mom received at Smilow Cancer Center at Yale Hospital. Marilyn was part of a clinical trial for her treatment of ovarian cancer, which gave her many, many more extra years than was expected. During the last eight months, the seventh floor transfusion nurses and staff always went above and beyond with care and compassion during her numerous weekly visits. Marilyn also took great comfort in donating her body to Yale Medical School at the time of her death.

A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, September 21, 2019, at United Church of Christ, 283 Main Street North, Southbury. Immediately following the memorial, a reception will take place in the social hall at the church.

Donations in Marilyn’s memory can be made to Smilow Cancer Center at Yale Hospital at givetoynhh.org/closertofree.