Marilyn W. Zieger of New Britain, CT, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and great-grandmother, passed away on December 23, 2025, after a long illness.

Born to the late Harold and Florence Wise, Marilyn was raised in Wethersfield, CT, a place she always loved. She attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy which she affectionately referred to as the "Mount". She never forgot the Latin phrases she learned as a student.  Her time at the Mount sparked a lifelong love of reading and she was never without a good book.  She especially loved author Maeve Binchy and her tales of love and friendship set in the Irish countryside.

A devoted homemaker, Marilyn found great joy in making her home a special place. She loved baking and was known for her delicious apple pies, brownies, pinwheels and pizzelles.  She was a talented gardener meticulously tending to her roses and hydrangeas. Marilyn delighted in the warmth of the sun by the pool with a glass of iced tea. She was an enthusiastic fan of the New York Yankees and its “Core Four” and UConn basketball. She loved to host the holidays and decorate for every season. She had a special place in her heart for all things Irish and was never far from an Irish sweater when the weather got chilly.

Before becoming a mother, Marilyn worked as an executive secretary and when her children were older worked for the VNA for a number of years.  She was also a real estate agent and partner with her husband, Ed, in Schoolhouse Realty.

Marilyn’s greatest love and devotion was saved for her family, which she cherished beyond measure. She leaves behind her son Steven Zieger and his wife Jeanne, and daughter Cindy Dighello and her husband Rick. She was a proud and loving Nanny to her “precious” grandson, Nicholas Dighello and his wife, Alina, and a cherished great-grandmother to their daughter Evangeline. She is also survived by her brother Thomas Wise, niece Sara Coffey and her family and nephews Jeffrey and Timothy Wise and their families, whom she dearly loved.

Marilyn was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, Edward J. Zieger, her son-in-law, Dr. Paul A. Paladino, brother Harold “Babe” Wise, sister Joan Winton, sister-in-law Barbara Wise and nephews David Winton and James Wise.

Marilyn was always at her husband Ed’s side.  They attended weekly Mass, enjoyed trips to the casino, dinner with friends, drives by the ocean and ice cream at Paper Goods Pond where they loved to watch the swans. Ed was Marilyn’s constant and devoted caregiver during her illness.

Marilyn’s warmth, dedication to family, wisdom and great sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt appreciation to Marilyn’s caregivers from One Patient at a Time.  Owners Mike and Annemarie treated all of us like family.  A special thank you to all the caregivers, especially Shelly, Nurse Jackie, and Paulette for her 24-hour devotion to our mom.  They will be forever in our prayers.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Stanley Golf Club Juniors – 245 Hartford Road, New Britain, CT 06053.  Please reference Marilyn Zieger along with your donation. 

All services will be private.