Marilyn Fish Barr, age 85, of North Stonington, CT,
slipped away to paradise with the sunrise on February 24,
2026, at the home of her daughter, where she had spent
the last year surrounded by her devoted family.
A lover of history, literature, fine art, and dear friends,
Marilyn’s life journey echoed her passions.
Marilyn Joan Fish was born on April 5, 1940, at Memorial
Hospital in Pawtucket, RI, to the late Harold and Lilian
(Sinkinson) Fish. She fondly remembered growing up on
a section of Abram Street that was later lost to the
construction of I-95, recalling it as a melting pot of
immigrants who shared their cultures with one another
through food and friendship.
Predeceased by her older brother, David W. Fish, Marilyn
often commented during the last year how much she
missed him. She missed sharing stories with him—
especially tales of his shenanigans, often beginning with
Dave having yelled “Hey, Marilyn!” before the antics had
ensued. She adored being an aunt and sister-in-law to her
brother’s young family and watching them grow up,
eventually having children and grandchildren of their
own.
Marilyn graduated from Tolman High School in 1958.
From there she attended Rhode Island College but left
after two years when she realized that teaching was not
her calling. During that time away, she worked for the
textbook company Livermore & Knight in the art
department as a paste-up artist.
In 1962 she traveled to Europe with a plan to meet up
with her childhood friend, Norah Pollard. While waiting
for Norah’s arrival in London, Marilyn decided to join
some new friends to pick up a convertible in Germany
before returning to London via France. When Norah
arrived, the two wasted no time making their way across
Europe by many creative modes of transportation. They
ran with the bulls in Spain and soaked up every bit of art
and history they encountered along the way.
Marilyn returned to Rhode Island College in 1968 to
complete her bachelor’s degree as a history major, and in
1970 she earned her master’s degree in library science
from the University of Rhode Island.
Toward the end of 1974, Marilyn married a former Jesuit
—Bob from Illinois. The ceremony took place, by the
grace of God, at the University of Rhode Island chapel.
Everyone in attendance had a vehicle mishap that snowy
December day, including the bride and groom, whose VW
Beetle frequently needed a running start.
The couple moved to St. Mark’s Place in New York, NY,
where Marilyn worked as a librarian for The Cooper
Union. Bob’s literary career later brought them to
Bernardsville, NJ, where Marilyn took a position
accessible by commuter rail at the Newark Museum as a
librarian. It was there they welcomed their first child,
Katie. Shortly after Katie was born, they bought a home
in High Bridge, NJ. When Bob accepted a position in
Mystic, CT, Marilyn was happy, as a new mother, to be
moving closer to her Rhode Island family. They put down
roots in the Kingswood neighborhood of North
Stonington, joined the parish of St. Catherine of Siena in
Preston, CT, and in 1984 were surprised by the arrival of
another daughter, Margaret.
For 25 years, Marilyn cherished the friendships and
familiar faces of her colleagues and patrons at Mystic &
Noank Library, where she found her true calling as a
reference librarian until her retirement in 2017.
She was also a longtime member of her beloved book
club in Preston.
All who met Marilyn knew that she genuinely wanted to
hear their story—their adventures and whether they had
read any good books lately. She always kept New Yorker
cartoons on the refrigerator alongside family photos and
newspaper clippings about eating well and living a
healthy life. She firmly believed in walking every day and
enjoyed nothing more than the sun pouring through her
bay window at 7 Old Colony as she read the morning
paper with a cup of tea.
She loved her family deeply and was overjoyed when her
daughter Margaret married Mark Leonard. While
reluctant to lose her independence during the past year,
moving in with her daughter and son-in-law provided a
joyful conclusion to her life journey. The genuine
excitement of her grandchildren—Maxwell, Madeleine,
and Moss—brought so much life into a time for which we
will all be forever grateful.
Marilyn was an inquisitive historian, a compassionate
friend, an avid reader, a talented artist, and forever a
welcoming and loving librarian.
Marilyn was predeceased by her daughter, Katharine R.
Barr; her husband, Robert R. Barr; her brother, David W.
Fish; and her parents, Lilian (Sinkinson) and Harold Fish.
She is survived by her daughter Margaret Barr Leonard,
her son-in-law Mark Leonard, and three grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to your local library in her
memory would be the finest way to honor her legacy.
Please join us on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the
Congregational Church of North Stonington to remember
and celebrate the beautiful life of Marilyn Fish Barr. The
service will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a gathering in
Hewitt Hall.
Interment will take place at a later date, when she will
join Bob and Katie at Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic.