The Life of Mrs. Marlene Estabrooke

Marlene Huff Estabrooke ("Mar") of Southport passed away at home on April 18, 2016. Marlene was born in Garfield, New Jersey on December 12,1930. Her family moved to Bridgeport when she was five. After she graduated from Harding High the family moved to Fairfield. She had resided in Southport since 1982. Her first real job was at Sikorsky's in Bridgeport. After that she enjoyed a 27-year career with the engineering department of Pepperidge Farm, Norwalk. In retirement, Marlene devoted countless volunteer hours to the Fairfield Historical Society and the Pequot Library, Southport. Her library work was particularly rewarding because it involved a year-round group effort to sort, price, present and sell used books, an enterprise that is essential to the library's fund raising. Mar also valued her membership in the Jenny Lind Doll Club. Above all Mar valued her family and her friends. She served on the Harding High reunion committee for many years. She was perfectly suited for this role because she cherished those school friendships her entire life. Preserving old friendships and developing new ones was one of Mar's special gifts. She could make friends with anyone who stood still, so waiting in line was not an aggravation. Never critical, she accepted and appreciated people just as they were and often said, "I never want to lose a person." Mar exhibited imagination and creativity at every stage of her life, both at work and in all of her out-of-work pursuits: fashion, remodeling, home decorating, gardening, entertaining and volunteer work. She displayed an exceptional talent for sculpting and painting in the years after she retired. Marlene is survived by George Estabrooke, her husband of 41 years, and her brother, E. Donald Huff, of New York City. A celebration of Marlene's life will be arranged later this spring. There will be no funeral or visitation. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Ave., Southport, CT or to CT Hospice Inc.,100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT, 06405 A special thanks to VITAS Healthcare for the compassionate, professional care they gave Mar. For online condolences please visit: www.spearmillerfuneralhome.com