GUILFORD – Marilyn Frances Leighton, 96, passed away after a long battle with colon cancer & dementia at the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor on Tuesday morning, March 31, 2020. Marilyn was born on July 24, 1923, in Bingham, ME, the daughter of Clinton (Cy) & Louise (Andrews) Woodard. She was the eldest of eight siblings, growing up in Rochester, NY, & moving with the family to Guilford, ME, when she was 15. She met the love of her life (Alton) while babysitting for his sister’s children. In 1944 while on leave from the Army, Alton rode the train from CA to ME to elope with Marilyn. She began working at Hardwood Products when she was 18 and retired at 77, just before her 78th birthday in July. Except for a few breaks throughout the years for various reasons, from having babies to the mill burning down, this was her place of employment. Marilyn enjoyed spending time at the family camp on Piper Pond. She loved to read, crochet, knit, cross stitch, do ceramics, & care for her many house plants. She began collecting canceled stamps as a young girl & continued to do this throughout her life. She liked unusual salt & pepper shakers & collector plates. Marilyn loved spending time with her family, enjoying the holidays, reunions, get-togethers, & cook outs; especially with the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, & great-great grandchildren. Marilyn is survived by a daughter, Sharon Meredith of Lake Forest, CA & Abbot, ME; a son, Vance, & wife, Cheryl, of New Hampton, NH; a son, Gary, & wife, Pat, of Corinna, ME & Barefoot Bay, FL; & a daughter, Janel, & partner, Milton Preble, of Parkman, ME. Marilyn’s grandchildren are Shaun Meredith & wife, Debbie, of Portland, TX; Michelle (Meredith) Stately & husband, Denny, of Canon City, CO; Glen Meredith & wife, Lisa, of Mission Viejo, CA; Chrissy (Leighton) Paul & husband, Jay, of Holderness, NH; Thomas Leighton & wife Jessica, of Bristol, NH; Troy Leighton & girlfriend, Kelly Emerson, of Winterport, ME; Trevin Leighton & wife, Jessica, of Corinna, ME; Jeff Robichaud & partner, Lisa Dutton, of Sherman, TX; Lynn (Leighton) Torre & husband, Vinny, of Sangerville, ME; & Dorothy (Estabrook) Leighton, of Gorham, ME. Marilyn’s great-grandchildren are Roman, London, & Grace Meredith, of CA; Samantha Janness, Chad Leighton, Izabella Monroe, Landon Fogg, Jeriah, Nicholas, & Mercedes Paul of NH; Troy, Jr., Jenna, Cade, Austin, Hunter, & Gabriel Leighton, Skylar & Molly Robichaud, Eric & Cassidy Jacobs, & Trinity & Arasta Torre all of ME; great-great grandchildren, Denny Eligh Stately of WV, Liam Samuel Maginel of NC, & Channing & Ryker Robichaud of ME. She is survived by a sister, Paula (Woodard) Philbrick & husband, John, of Prospect, VA; a brother, Kenton Conroy, of Pleasant Ridge Plantation, ME; sisters-in-law, Barbara Woodard, of Sangerville, ME; & Janet Leighton of Norridgewock, ME. She is survived by many beloved nieces and nephews & a dear friend who visited Alton & Marilyn often, Roger Lowell. Marilyn was predeceased by Alton Lendall Leighton, her loving husband of 75 plus years; her parents, Clinton (Cy) & Louise (Andrews) Woodard; In-laws, Clifford, Sr & Myrtle (Hill) Leighton; brothers, Merle (Bud) & wife, Viola; Roger & wife, Faylene; Carlton & wife, Hilda; & Dale; sisters, Lorraine Willey & husband, Jack; Loretta McEwen & husband, Vince; sister-in-law, Evelyn (Leighton) Demmons & husband Ervin; brothers-in-law, Elwin Leighton & wife, Wilma (Billie); Vergil Leighton & first wife, Gertrude (Trudy); Clifford, Jr (Fud) Leighton & wife, Gloria. She was predeceased by son-in-law, Jack Meredith & great-grandson, Denny Ward Stately. Many thanks to the Maine Veterans Home & St Joseph Hospice for Marilyn’s care. A celebration of her life with burial at the family lot in Lawn Cemetery, Guilford, will be announced later this spring or summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Guilford United Methodist Church, PO Box 267, Guilford, ME 04443 or St. Joseph Hospice, 360 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401. Messages of condolences and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.