Marilyn I. Tokarsky

Born: 10/12/1946 Died: 5/9/2012 After courageously battling lung cancer for four years, Marilyn I. Tokarsky, age 65, passed away peacefully into our Lord’s loving arms on May 9, 2012, at her home in Newark, DE, with her family by her side. She was born to the late Theodore and Edith Picazio in Amsterdam, NY, and was raised in Schenectady with her two sisters, Gwendolyn and Rosalyn. Marilyn received a BS in Education from the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY, followed by an MS in Education at SUNY Albany. At this time, she met the love of her life, Edward Tokarsky, on a blind date. Shortly thereafter, they married and moved to Delaware, where she became Directress and Owner of The Montessori Center for Learning in Newark for 22 years. There she touched the lives of hundreds of children and their families in the community. Her love and achievement in teaching were recognized not only by the parents of the school, but also by two awards presented to her by Governor Minner for excellence in preschool education in the State of Delaware. Faith was important to Marilyn, as evidenced by involvement in guiding couples with her husband Ed through Catholic Marriage and Engaged Encounter weekends. Marilyn also had a passion for the ocean. She and her husband fell in love with Cape May Point, NJ, where they formed lifelong memories with their family and friends. She also loved collecting antiques, celebrating the holidays with her family, and found serenity in gardening. Above all, Marilyn loved being with her family. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Edward; her three children, Christa Fistler (Matthew), Gregory Tokarsky (Jennifer), and Andrew Tokarsky (Katie); as well as five grandsons, Luke, Gabriel, Graham, Theodore, and Christian. A memorial mass will be held at 11 am on Monday, May 14th, at Holy Family Church, E. Chestnut Hill and Gender Roads, Newark, DE, 19713, where visitation will begin at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Food Bank of Delaware, Delaware Industrial Park, 14 Garfield Way, Newark, DE 19713.