OGUNQUIT – Marilyn Ann Cate passed away quietly on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. Born on Oct. 30, 1936, she was the daughter of Joseph J. and Mary E. (Phillips) Reidy of Worcester, Mass., and attended Sever Street Preparatory School and Classical High School, graduating in 1954.

Married in 1959, Marilyn is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles C. Cate of Ogunquit; sons Paul C. Cate also of Ogunquit; C. Christopher Cate and his wife Gretchen and their children Ronan and Mairin of Williamstown, Vt.; and Philip C. Bienek-Cate and his wife Sophia and their daughter Gwendolyn of Morgantown, W.Va.

Predeceased by her two brothers, James B. Reidy and Edward J Reidy, she is survived by her husband’s six siblings, Audrey J. Kiley, Diana E. Philip, David N., Bruce A, and Douglas A. Bogdan, and Dorothea W. Cate, and their combined families of much cherished three generations of nieces and nephews.

A dedicated educator, Marilyn began her teaching career after graduating from Framingham State Teachers College in 1958. Over the next 41 years, in addition to earning master’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts, and West Virginia University, she enriched the lives of students ranging from preschoolers to college undergraduates, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Alabama and finally, for 20 years as a guidance counselor at Hanover High School in Hanover, N.H.

Exercising her passion for travel, she visited Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico and Martinique, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, London and Paris, and to prepare herself to better counsel her students, visiting colleges and universities throughout the United states.

After her retirement in 1999, Marilyn and her husband moved to the family’s residence in Ogunquit, where she continued her involvement in community service by actively participating in the Ogunquit Women’s Club, the Ogunquit Playhouse Guild, Friends of the Wells Public Library, SMAA Meals On Wheels and as a dedicated contributor in several Wells-Ogunquit school volunteer programs.

Marilyn’s life was guided by her unwavering belief in the potential goodness of all persons, a sense of fairness and nondiscrimination in all interpersonal relationships and unconditional love for her family and friends.

A celebration of her life is being planned to be held in the Spring of 2022. Visit http://www.lucaseatonfuneralhome.com for online condolences.

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