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Obituary of Marilyn A. Cox
Marilyn A. (Rose) Cox, 87, of Wilmington, passed away suddenly on May 28, 2025.
Born and raised in Medford, MA, Marilyn was the daughter of Theodore and Anne Rose. She graduated from Medford High School in 1955. As a teenager, she met her future husband, Richard Cox, at a Fourth of July block party on Winthrop beach. They married just before her 20th birthday and eventually settled in Tewksbury to raise their three children. Marilyn lived in Wilmington for the past 37 years.
Over the years, Marilyn held a wide variety of roles: she worked at the rectory at Saint Mary’s and as a cook at St. Anthony’s both in Revere, ran the family-owned Linden Market in Malden, and served as an administrative assistant at MIT. Most notably, she spent nearly 60 years selling Stanley Home Products. Her engaging personality, belief in the products, and natural charm made her a persuasive and beloved salesperson. In later years, her Stanley business became a way to stay connected with longtime customers and friends.
Marilyn’s Catholic faith was central to her life. She was an active parishioner, CCD teacher, Eucharistic minister, and served on the Massachusetts Council of Churches. Her values of faith, and service shaped her family and community involvement, including her time as a member of the Tewksbury Wilmington Emblem Club and her time served on the Wilmington Housing Authority. Marilyn also had strong political convictions. She didn’t just talk about making a difference—she acted. In both Wilmington and Tewksbury, she supported candidates and causes that aligned with her values. If Marilyn was involved in your campaign, you were sure to win.
In addition to her faith and community activism, Marilyn was a beautiful piano player with her own distinctive style. She would always go to the piano to let out her feelings whether angry, happy, or sad. You could always tell her mood by her song selection. Marilyn was also an athlete and engaged in health, wellness and fitness her entire life. She played basketball growing up and loved to tell her grandkids the story of her beating male classmates in a shooting contest. Marilyn and Richard belonged to the Tohoku Judo Club, eventually earning her a brown belt. Some of the family's favorite photos are of her throwing her husband to the mat! She was even a member of the Tewksbury Rod and Gun Club.
Marilyn was a loyal and generous friend as well as a surrogate aunt and grandmother to many, always offering a shoulder to cry on or pitching in to plan a party. Marilyn loved to entertain and cook for others. To her, the cardinal sin of parties was running out of food and Marilyn always ensured that people’s plates and hearts were full. Marilyn was a loving dog-owner throughout most of her life. Her beloved dogs whom she adored were spoiled. Marilyn loved the nautical saying “May you have fair winds and following seas” as her love for the ocean was very much a part of her spirit. She loved sitting in her beach chair, gazing out at the sea. She was always ready to dip into the water and body surf with the kids, no matter how cold it was. She especially enjoyed storms at the beach—the wilder the waves, the better.
Though she had a full life with her career, faith, community service and hobbies, her dedication and devotion to her family was astounding and infinite. She supported and loved her children fiercely and unconditionally. She shared that same unwavering love when she became a grandmother and great-grandmother. She was known as “Grandmama,” a name she bestowed upon herself when she became a grandmother. She cherished welcoming each new baby, celebrating milestones, and creating traditions—like the annual breakfast the day before the first day of school. She loved sending cards with a crisp new one-dollar bill tucked inside, no matter how old the recipient was. Nothing made her happier than being surrounded by her growing family: three children and their spouses, nine grandchildren and their partners, and fourteen great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 9 months to 19 years old.
Marilyn was the beloved wife of the late Richard Cox. She was the loving mother and mother-in-law of Lyn McGarry & her husband Michael of Wilmington, Richard Cox, Jr & his wife Christine of Kingston, NH, and Doreen Loud & her husband Edward of Perry Hall, MD. She was the sister of the late Theodore Rose and late Dorothy “Dottie” Carter-Hague and sister-in-law of Joyce Rose of Winter Garden, FL, Donald Carter of Tewksbury, Linda Burns of Beverly, MA and Robert Cox & his wife Cheryl of Myrtle Beach, SC . She was the proud grandmother of Danielle Morales & her husband Jon, Bill McGarry & his wife Brianne, Patrick McGarry & his wife Nicole, Matthew Cox & his wife Lisa, Kristen Sousa & her husband Mario, Meagan Myers & her husband Brady, Edward Loud, Jr. & his wife Hannah, Brianna Loud & her companion Colin Parnell, and Emily Loud & her companion Jon Williams. She was the great-grandmother of Aidan, Sean, Hailey, Caroline, Jimmy, and Michael McGarry, Presley and Lola Morales, Gabriella and Viviana Sousa, Sadie and Isla Cox, and Chase and Roman Myers. Marilyn was also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Sunday, June 1 from 3 to 6pm. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Monday, June 2 at 10:15am. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Williams Church, 1351 Main Street, Tewksbury at 11:30am. Suggested attire is bright and festive. Services will conclude with a burial at Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington.
Memorials in Marilyn’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Heartbeat Pregnancy Help Center, wwwpregnancyma.com, P.O. Box 153, Burlington, MA 01803.
For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net
Edward V. Sullivan
Funeral Home
43 Winn Street
Burlington, MA 01803
Ph: (781) 272-0050
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