Phyllis M. (Thistle) Marshall

Phyllis M. (Thistle) Marshall, 90, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully with her family by her side after a brief illness at Whitney Place Assisted Living in Northborough.

Born in Boston, Phyllis was the only child of Joseph and Jessie Thistle. Her father passed away when she was just three years old, and her mother later married William Thistle. Together, Jessie and William lovingly raised Phyllis and her brother Kenneth. Phyllis grew up and was educated in Chelsea, where she met the love of her life, John Marshall, while attending Chelsea High School. Phyllis and John were high school sweethearts were married in 1955 and shared 52 wonderful years together.

The couple began their married life in Chelsea before moving to Burlington in 1961. Although the move required some adjustment, she soon came to love the close-knit community and developed friendships that lasted a lifetime. Phyllis became an active member of the Burlington Historical Society, participated in classes and events at the Burlington Council on Aging, and was a regular at performances by the Burlington Players Community Theater. For over 50 years, Burlington was her cherished home, and she enriched her community through acts of friendship and kindness.

Though Phyllis held a few part-time jobs over the years, her true calling was that of a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker. Family was always at the heart of her life. She was a steadfast and supportive partner to her beloved husband, and after his passing in 2007, Phyllis embraced a new chapter of independence. She cultivated new friendships, deepened her community involvement, and enjoyed traveling — visiting family across Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, Mexico, and exploring destinations in Europe and the Mediterranean.

As a mother, Phyllis was nurturing and encouraging, allowing her children to follow their own paths while always offering gentle guidance and unwavering love. She cherished time with her grandchildren and was overjoyed to welcome three great-grandchildren into her life. Her kindness and warmth touched all who knew her — including dear friends she had treasured for more than sixty years.

Phyllis will be lovingly remembered for her gentle spirit, compassion, and grace. Soft-spoken and kind-hearted, she had a way of making others feel valued and appreciated, never taking for granted even the smallest of gestures.

Phyllis was the beloved wife of the late John A. Marshall. She was the loving mother of Kathleen D’Amore and her husband Gregory of Charlton; John Marshall, Jr. and his wife Leathann of Sun City, AZ; Gregory Marshall and his wife Faviola of Folly Beach, SC; and

Kristen Marshall Flores of Winchester and Oscar Flores of Woburn. She was the sister of Kenneth Thistle and his wife Joyce of Largo, Florida. She was the proud grandmother of Danielle D’Amore, Patrick D’Amore and his wife Kylie, Nicole Gavalyas and her husband Anthony, Gregory Marshall, Jr., Jillian Bedenbaugh and her husband Jacob, Justin Flores, Jada Flores, and Jakob Flores, and the late Eric Marshall. She was the adoring great-grandmother of Brooklyn Gavalyas, Gianna Gavalyas, and Caiden D’Amore.

During her final years at Whitney Place Assisted Living, Phyllis was surrounded by kindness, compassion, and dignity. Her family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Whitney Place and Summit Elder Care for the exceptional care and warmth they provided to Phyllis and her loved ones.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington, on Friday, October 31, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, followed by a funeral service at Noon. Burial will follow at Pine Haven Cemetery in Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Phyllis’s name may be made to People Helping People, www.peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org, P.O. Box 343, Burlington, MA 01803. For the online guestbook and video tribute, please visit www.sullivanfuneralhome.net.