Marilyn Hilma Halsing

Marilyn Hilma Halsing, 90, died at home surrounded by her loving daughter and grandchildren on Mother’s Day, Sunday May 10th.

Marilyn was born in Milford, daughter of Gunvald and Hildur (Nyholm) Halsing and lived most of her life in Mendon.

Marilyn graduated from Mendon High School class of 1947. She worked in the main office of Draper Corporation and on her lunch break, served lunch at the old Brayburn in Hopedale, helping out her sister and brother-in-law. She spent several years in Chicago working for an advertising agency and then time working in Florida. When Marilyn returned to Mendon she worked for social security in Framingham while pursuing a teaching degree from Framingham State University. She also worked weekends cleaning a beauty shop in Milford. After 7 years of working full time/part time and going to school nights, she earned her degree in teaching and spent over 25 years in the Bellingham school system. She later received her Masters degree in Teaching and took additional classes over the years at Cape Cod Community College. Her entrepreneurial passion was The Toning Salon which she owned and operated for a few years in Mendon. She also spent some time working for the travel agency in Mendon and chaperoning bus tours into New York City.

Marilyn enjoyed many years at her Cape Cod home. She loved the ocean, looking for seashells, eating seafood, knitting, crocheting, sewing, making her own clothes as well as clothes for her daughter, sister, mother, aunts, some nieces and grand nieces. She liked to paint, write poems, garden, sing, make crafts, refinish furniture, cane chairs, play yard games and board games. She loved walking in the woods, looking at leaves, flowers, stones, birds, picking blueberries and strawberries, laying in the grass and trying to find faces in the clouds. She loved a good thunderstorm and watching the lightning outside or running up to the attic, laying on a cot, and listening to the rain pounding on the roof. She loved being a teacher and watching her students learn and grow. She especially loved when her former students would come back to visit her to tell her what a difference she made in their lives. She was proud of all her kids. She loved reading the Readers Digest, watching the news, playing golf for fun, traveling with her family and eating lots of bacon whenever she could get her hands on it. She had a great sense of humor and could make up a song about anything or just break out into song whenever the mood struck her. She enjoyed speaking Swedish with her family and friends and was a member of the Vasa Order of America in Worcester. She loved baking, especially her Swedish limpa and rolls. She knew how to rewire a house, do a little plumbing, pour cement, shingle a roof, and install wooden shingle siding. She loved being outdoors working with her hands and loved a challenge. Her biggest challenge was her 35 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis, which left her totally immobile for the last 11 years. Despite all the many difficulties in her life, she faced every day with a smile and had appreciation for the good things in life, like her family and friends. She loved life! She never felt sorry for herself no matter what life threw at her. Her faith in Jesus comforted her throughout her life no matter the circumstances. She was always positive and never talked badly about anyone. She was not afraid to tell the truth and was uncompromising when doing what she thought was best for her family. She always put herself last and never ever complained. She had old fashioned  integrity; your word is your word and a handshake sealed the deal. She saw the good in people even when the people she thought she could trust would turn on her. She forgave them and prayed for them. She was very loving, kind, and patient in all things, whether it be teaching her grandchildren to read or learn math, or learning a new skill herself and making mistakes along the way. She was a good listener and gave useful advice. She was a wonderful and devoted mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and a very dependable friend. You could always count on her for anything, day or night. She was a hard worker. She loved her little Swedish church on Grant St in Milford (that relocated to Hopkinton) and was always involved in church suppers, fundraisers, singing in the choir, serving on boards, and would do whatever is needed to get the job done. She was a true blessing to her family always.

Marilyn is survived by her daughter Christina (Halsing) Melpignano, her grandchildren Richard Melpignano and Joselyn Melpignano, all of Mendon. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Jean Halsing, nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, great grand nieces and nephews, and many cousins.

She is predeceased by her two brothers, Eliot and Donald Halsing and her sister Eleanor Vandersluis.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 11:30 am in the Community Covenant Church, 2 West Elm St.. Hopkinton, MA. 01748.

Memorial donations can be made in Marilyn’s memory to her beloved church, Community Covenant Church of Hopkinton 2 West Elm St. Hopkinton, MA, 01748.
 

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