Obituary of Marianne W. Brenton

Marianne W. Brenton, former Representative of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, passed away after a long illness at the Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. She was 79 years old. Representative Brenton was born in Freeport Maine, the daughter of the late Milton and Leah (Hamilton) Webber. She grew up on Chebeague Island, Maine, in Casco Bay, off the coast of Portland. Growing up on Chebeague Island came with a very different way of life. The population was about 500 during the winter months and had a very small school. She often joked that she graduated first in her class, but then added it was a class of 4. She would earn a scholarship at Bates College in 1955. She left Bates with a degree in biology and a husband, whom she met on a blind date. The newlyweds immediately moved to Germany, where her husband Richard was stationed in the Army. In February of 1958, they settled in Burlington to raise their family. Marianne became very active in the community and local politics. She was involved in the Burlington Jaycees and the League of Women Voters. She was a member of the Republican Town Committee, where she passionately campaigned for candidates locally and nationally. She was a alternate delegate at the 1968 Republican Convention. Marianne saw the exploding school population in Burlington and chose to run for School Committee. She won her race and served from 1972 to 1981, serving as chairperson several times. During those years the School Committee dealt with the issues of class size, expansion, and the damaging effects of Prop 2 ½ on the schools. She then served on Burlington’s Ways and Means Committee from 1982 to 1984. In 1991, in the strongly Democratic communities of Burlington and Bedford, Marianne won a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She served for 6 years and was a member of the House Transportation Committee. She was very involved in the widening of Rt. 3, which had adversely affected many of her constituents. As a Representative, she remained a humble servant to all her constituents, always aware of the public trust, supportive to those without a voice, faithful to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and always true to her own political ideology and beliefs. She also served on the Tewksbury State Hospital Board of Trustees. She was a technical librarian for MKS Instruments of Andover for many years. Representative Brenton would have said that her greatest success was that of her family. She was a loving wife of 46 years to her husband Richard. She was a loving and caring mother to three children, teaching them to respect others, be independent thinkers, and always remain true to their values, beliefs and convictions. Upon his retirement, Marianne traveled the world with her husband, including trips to China, Russia, Greece, and the Galapagos Islands. She shared slide shows of these adventures with many groups, including her grandchildren's elementary school and Chebeague Islanders. Her favorite destination always remained Chebeague Island where she grew up, and her children and grandchildren still enjoy the island's simple pleasures and natural beauty. Marianne will be remembered for political contributions locally and statewide as well as how she followed her own path true to her principles. Representative Brenton was the beloved wife of the late Richard Brenton. She was the loving mother of Anne Isenberg & her husband Michael of Atkinson, NH, Joan Brenton & her husband Joseph McLaughlin of Dracut and Peter Brenton & his wife Carol of Medford. She was the sister of Dianne Calder & her husband Richard of Chebeague Island, and sister-in-law of Donald & Evelyn “Peege” Brenton of Oxford, CT and Naples, FL. She was the proud grandmother of Elizabeth & Abbie Isenberg and Alieda & Ricky Brenton and loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. Memorial Services will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday 6-8 p.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers memorials in Marianne’s name may be made to Stephen L. Ross Scholarship Fund, Maine Community Foundation, 245 Main St., Ellsworth, ME 04606-1613 or Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust, P.O. Box 25, Cheabeague Island, ME 04017.