Marianne K. Fink, 91, passed away peacefully at the Harrogate Healthcare Center, Lakewood, NJ on August 11, 2026. She was born in Madison, WI on January 29, 1935 and grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan in Kenosha, WI.
Marianne lived a full life and had an unwavering devotion to God. She married her husband, Richard, in 1957. In 1960, she received her BS in Elementary education from the University of Wisconsin and taught elementary school. They made their home in Waukesha, WI. In 1970, Richard's employer transferred him, and they moved to New Jersey. In September 2012, they moved into an apartment at Harrogate Independent Living in Lakewood.
Marianne will be remembered as a caring, supportive, and loving person to everyone who crossed her path. She lived a simple life and celebrated life's joys.
She was a dependable and loving mom who was always there or just a phone call away. She instilled in her daughters, love, the importance of a spiritual life, the ability to be independent, and to look on the positive side of life. While raising her daughters, she worked as a substitute teacher and then as a long-term secretary at AT&T. She took an active role in her daughters’ after school activities, being a Girl Scout leader plus car pool driver for ballet, art, organ lessons, junior choir, school choir and musicals.
Marianne was a very active member of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge, NJ and more recently the Toms River Presbyterian Church in Toms River, NJ. She was a member of the choir at both churches and enjoyed singing immensely. She also was a member of Sweet Adeline's, sewing costumes and participating in national singing competitions. For many years, she kept journals, was a prolific fictional writer, attended writing workshops and was a contributing writer for several published books. She also enjoyed cooking, baking and sewing, skills her mother passed down to her and she passed to her daughters. She was especially well known for her Pecan Balls, Wisconsin Hot Fudge Sauce and her beloved Chocolate Chip Cookies (ALL of which are guarded secrets to this day!).
Later in life, she and Richard became involved in local theatre, astronomy organizations and traveling. They extensively traveled within the US to include their daughters and families in South Carolina, Maine and North Carolina; Arizona, Oregon, Washington and several visits to Hawaii. Their other travels included England, Germany, the Caribbean, Nova Scotia, Panama Canal, British Columbia, Jamaica, Bermuda and the Canadian ice fields.
Marianne was a social butterfly always friendly, smiling and making friends along the way. She loved music and singing and was an avid bird watcher. She sent cards and letters to many people near and far, simply to stay in touch or send a note of cheer. She had many long-time friends, some from high school, with whom she still kept in touch, and she will see again in the heavens.
She is survived by her daughter, Janet Plant and companion Scott Therrien, grandsons Devin and Christopher Plant of St. Albans, Maine; daughter Diane Plott and husband Herbert (Hub) of Lexington, South Carolina and grand-daughter Ashley Plott and fiancée Chase Oknefski of Tampa, Florida; her sister, Betty Winter, and husband Stephen, of Winston-Salem, NC, and their children. She was predeceased by her husband, Richard, in January 2016 and special companion, Anthony Kubola, in May 2026.
There will be a private committal at the Toms River Presbyterian Church in Toms River, NJ, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, Richard, in the Rose Garden.
Janet and Diane would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Harrogate Village, with special thanks to the Healthcare Center staff for the excellent love and care both of our parents received over the years. The staff are true angels on earth.