Marilyn Louise Sage (Wood) of Rockland, Massachusetts, age 82, passed away peacefully on August 22, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Having been in hospice care following a complex stroke, she waited for just the moment she would have chosen, when her family was engaged in happy conversation and she could inconspicuously slip away. She never wanted to draw attention to herself, but her simple life was truly noteworthy.

Marilyn was born August 25, 1943, in Brockton, Massachusetts to Eleanor (Farrar) and Stanley Wood, and grew up in Norwell and Hanover. Her parents divorced when Marilyn was young, and she and her three siblings - David, Adrianne, and Eddie - were raised mainly by their mother, who married and divorced a second time when they were a bit older. Marilyn deeply admired her mother, who was a single mother to four children in a time when that was uncommon. She inherited her tenacity, her strong will, her strict discipline, and her love of family from her mother.

Marilyn spent her early childhood in Norwell near her grandparents. Her grandfather had a farm with hundreds of chickens, and one of her very first jobs was plucking pin feathers for five cents a day. Her grandmother had a small store on the farm where she sold homemade baked goods including pies, donuts, and baked beans, and produce from the garden such as pears, apples, and grapes. They passed a strong work ethic and talents in gardening and baking on to Marilyn.

Marilyn and her family moved to Hanover when she was in fourth grade. These were the years she most often referred to when she spoke about her childhood. She loved being outdoors in every season, playing tag and baseball with neighborhood kids, swimming and fishing at Hackett’s Pond in the summer, and ice skating, sledding, and having snowball fights in the winter. She rode her bike to the library frequently and took out a dozen books at a time. Hanover was where she met her lifelong best friend, Judy. She also met her favorite teacher, Mrs. Beckford, who hosted neighborhood Bible studies for kids and introduced her to the idea of a personal relationship with Jesus.

Marilyn graduated from Hanover High School in 1961 and enrolled in the Shepherd-Gill School of Practical Nursing, training to be an LPN at Mass General and Beth Israel Hospital. She made good friends, gained confidence, and explored the city, even making an accidental visit to the red light district with her roommate one night, from which she quickly fled. She went on to work at Brockton Hospital as an LPN for several years and moved back in with her mother, who became a great friend. They spent many nights at lounges and clubs dancing and having great times.

Marilyn started dating more after she finished her schooling. Given her experience with her mother’s divorces, Marilyn said she would never get married. But soon that would change. One evening in November 1965, she and her then-boyfriend, “Buddy,” decided to set up a double date. She invited her friend, Donna, and Buddy invited his friend from the Navy, Tom. The evening had a small glitch when the Great Northeast Blackout plunged everyone into darkness for 12 hours, but ultimately everything worked out - Tom and Marilyn could not stop thinking about each other, and not long after the blackout, they broke up with their previous partners and began dating in January. In February, Tom told Marilyn he had a Valentine’s gift for her and provided a few hints: It was round, and shiny, and had a hole in the middle. Marilyn, both excited and nervous for a proposal, was shocked to discover that the gift was a vinyl record and not an engagement ring. After this faux pas, they ultimately did get engaged that month. They planned for an April wedding, but after a couple of postponements due to Navy business, they had a small elopement ceremony on June 11, 1966, with just three guests.

Once Marilyn had determined she would marry Tom, she decided she wanted a “baker’s dozen” children, but they both thought they should wait a couple of years before starting a family. God had other plans. Marilyn immediately became pregnant. The next time she visited Tom on the ship, she asked what he would do if she said she was pregnant, and he joked that he would throw her overboard! Fortunately, when she broke the news that they were expecting, he shared in her joy.

Marilyn’s belly grew, and so did her questions. Should she keep working or stay home with the baby? Would she be a good mother? And most of all, how could one little baby possibly be this enormous - and why did it seem to have four feet? Her doctor reassured her that she was having one healthy baby, so he was shocked when she delivered twins - but Marilyn wasn’t surprised at all. She had a mother’s intuition that never failed her, and she was immediately a loving and invested mother to Tommy and Robin, her first babies.

Marilyn worked hard as a mother and homemaker as her family became established. Though she was happily married and loved being a Mom, she struggled with depression through the years, and at times, wondered if she should give up. At age 35, she found herself in despair and cried out to God, asking “Why won’t you help me?!” God answered in the form of a tract provided to Tommy and Robin by their Sunday School teachers that reintroduced her to Jesus. Though Marilyn grew up attending church and Bible study hosted by her teacher, Mrs. Beckford, she was born again as a Christian after reading that tract and was a devoted follower of Christ throughout the rest of her life.

Soon after her transformation, Marilyn and Tom’s family continued to grow. Twelve years after the birth of the twins, they welcomed their second daughter, Heather. Two years later, their second son, David, was born. They purchased their home on Liberty Street in Rockland to make room for their growing family. Four years after their son, their daughter, Mary, was born. All together, Marilyn gave birth to five children across the span of 18 years.

Life for the Sages was ordinary, but beautiful. Marilyn invested tirelessly in her family, working to create a safe, loving, disciplined, and peaceful home for her children. She cared for the home and family while Tom went to work. Daily, she prepared meals, cleaned and organized, budgeted, paid bills, taught academics and life lessons, and enforced the rules. She planted beautiful flower gardens that lined the front and back yards. She made delicious homemade jams and applesauce. She welcomed Tom home each evening joyfully and with a bit of relief that there was another adult in the house. She planned endless family fun - long, lazy beach days and blueberry picking in the summer, giant leaf piles for jumping in autumn, building snowmen and sledding in the winter, and playground visits in the spring. Board games, baking, and arts and crafts were always on offer. In the evenings, when Tom was home, she enjoyed watching television with him while she cross-stiched or crocheted one of her countless handmade projects.

Marilyn’s care and love extended beyond her husband and children to include her extended family and friends. She was the “hostess with the mostest,” hosting all of the holiday and birthday celebrations, summer cookouts, and dinner parties. She created beautiful holiday dinners, baked gorgeous and delicious pies, and created a variety of pasta and veggie salads to complement meats off the grill. She was open and accepting of people of all kinds, welcoming friends and acquaintances into her home without question, always offering a listening ear and her care and concern. She was a trusted confidante for many, and provided advice when it was needed.

Marilyn was above all a devoted wife and mother, but also an active and involved member of the church community at South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham. She was a long-time volunteer in the church nursery and watched hundreds of babies over the years, personally stitching a Christmas ornament for each baby she cared for. She served as a volunteer at countless potluck dinners and receptions, offering her cooking skills and her time to help create successful church fellowship events. She carpooled dozens of teenagers to youth group events. She and Tom hosted a long-standing Bible study group in their home for the vast majority of the last four decades. Marilyn’s faith in God was evident in all that she did. She talked to everyone about how her life had been changed by the Lord and encouraged all she met to seek Jesus. She constantly served others, never made a judgment, and gave without ceasing. She was a good and faithful servant.

Marilyn directed her energies toward serving the Lord and raising her family. As her children became adults, she was thrilled to become a grandmother. She took so much joy in her grandchildren. She shared her two-family home with several of her grandchildren as they grew. She hosted grandchildren traveling from out of state, both when they were young and traveled with their parents, and when they were adults traveling on their own. She loved to attend birthday parties, plays, dance recitals, and sports that her grandchildren were involved in. She enjoyed celebrating Christmas with them the most, and in recent years, her favorite tradition was decorating day, when many of her grandchildren came over to help decorate the tree, eat, and throw plastic snow all over the house. She had 21 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren in total. She took so much joy in their happiness.

As Marilyn aged, she mourned many significant losses, but was heartbroken by the loss of her husband, Tom, in 2023. She insisted on continuing to live alone and care for herself independently, but she grew lonely. Her body began to suffer from painful arthritis that prevented her from doing the sewing, crocheting, and cooking that she loved. Her energy slowed and she spent more time doing simple things like watching classic television, reading, and having lunch with friends. She missed Tom dearly and longed for the day she would see him again in heaven. So when she suffered a severe stroke and declined in the following weeks, her family knew she was ready to go.

We know Marilyn is overjoyed to be free from pain, sadness, and fear, and that she is celebrating a new life in heaven. She has met her Savior and is reunited with so many people she treasured and who have gone before her - most especially the love of her life, Tom.

Many who loved Marilyn are still here in this world. She was soft and gentle, yet fierce and strong. She was righteous and faithful. She was kind, welcoming, supportive, and so loving. She leaves behind four children who have the utmost respect and admiration for her, twenty grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one sister, nieces, nephews, and many friends and acquaintances who will miss her welcoming and sweet presence here on Earth. We are so blessed to have been part of her remarkable story.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 28, 5-8 pm at Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home, 135 Union St., Rockland. A funeral service will be held Saturday, August 29 at 11:00 am, South Shore Baptist Church, 578 Main Street, Hingham, MA. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the Missions Fund at South Shore Baptist Church (Give to South Shore Baptist Hingham) or simply plant some flowers, snuggle a baby, or invite someone to dinner.