Obituary of Stella Marilyn Friedman

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Stella “Marilyn” Kimball Friedman died peacefully surrounded by family at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton on March 2nd, 2024. 

Marilyn was born in Black’s Harbour, New Brunswick three days after Christmas in 1935 -- or as her mother, Stella Kimball told the story, she was actually a present delivered on Christmas Day, and belatedly discovered in a cupboard.

Whether delivered by stork, or by Santa, her brothers Hollis and Reg and her sister Dorothy were all there to greet her. And by the time the family was complete (about a decade and a half later), she had little brothers Ken and Carroll and little sisters Melba, Maryella and Cheryl to dote on. 

The family moved often as her father, Reverend Hollis Kimball, preached in churches in many rural towns. So while she was born near the ocean, Marilyn’s most precious and lasting childhood memories were formed a few hours northwest in Royalton, N.B. -- in the heart of potato country, on the edge of the Canada/ US border with the picturesque Mars Hill Mountain looming in the background. 

It was there that she and her siblings walked two miles uphill both ways from their home at the parsonage to the community’s one-room schoolhouse. In Royalton, she also picked potatoes, got chased by farmers’ dogs, played with her beloved dolls, and made life-long friends.  

In her twenties, however, Marilyn longed for more excitement. She had several suitors, but she refused to settle down to a husband and kids without embarking on a few solo adventures first. 

After graduating from Bristol High School, she went to teachers college in Fredericton, and embarked on a successful teaching career. But she was soon restless. Her college yearbook says “Marilyn would like to travel,” and she eventually made that dream a reality. In the late 1950s, she became a stewardess. At the time, only pretty, single women under the age of 30 were allowed to apply. 

Flying allowed Marilyn to see the world, including her all-time favourite city, San Francisco. After living and working in Montreal and Toronto, she ended up in Oakland, California working as a stewardess on small planes flying between there and the casinos in Lake Tahoe.

The path was long and winding with many adventures (and misadventures) along the way, but in 1974, she met Stan Friedman, the man who would be her husband for nearly 45 years before his death in 2019. 

She became a second mom to Stan’s adult son Sean, and together she and Stan raised three children: James, Rachel and Melissa. Eventually they returned to Canada-- to Fredericton, N.B. to be closer to “the Kimball clan.” 

Over the decades, Marilyn hosted countless family gatherings at their home on the city’s southside, where no one ever turned down a second helping of her mouth-watering chestnut stuffing.

Her family grew to include grandson James Kenneth, his wife Luzelle, and their son “Baby James.” She also welcomed Melissa’s husband David with open arms. 

She spent the last four years living at the Windsor Court Retirement Residence where she made friends, became a champion shuffleboard player, and picked up a few wins at Bingo. 

Marilyn is predeceased by her husband Stan, his son Sean, her son James, her brothers Hollis and Carroll, and her sister Dorothy. She is missed by many. 

Private family services will be held at a later date. Donations can be made on Marilyn’s behalf to the Canadian Hemophilia Society. Personal condolences may be offered through www.yorkfh.com