Marilyn McGuire Hart

Dr. Marilyn McGuire Hart passed away on March 26, 2025 at age 99. She is from the “Greatest Generation”. They are characterized by: a strong work ethic; personal responsibility; humility, commitment to marriage and family, and faith in God and the future. These characteristics describe Marilyn exactly.

Marilyn was born on February 19, 1926 in Jersey City, NJ to Edward and Kathryn Comes McGuire. The family moved to Mountainside in 1934, in the depths of the depression. She was Valedictorian of her class at Holy Trinity High School. She married David M. Hart in 1951 and had 3 children. While raising 3 kids and working during the day, she started attending night school. Over a period of 20 years, she earned her BA at Seton Hall University, a Master’s degree, and her Ph. D. in Urban Anthropology from Rutgers University. Dr. Hart was employed as a Professor at Kean University for 28 years, and was honored to be named Professor Emeritus in 1995. Marilyn was pleased that her 3 children and 7 grandchildren with spouses have 22 college and graduate degrees between them.

In spite of a busy life, she was always willing to volunteer for charities and civic activities. Marilyn served on the Regional High School Board of Education in 1975 for two terms from 1975 through 1981. After that, she was the first woman elected to the Mountainside Town Council in the history of the town, and served for 12 years from 1981 to 1994. Marilyn and David were awarded the Mountainside Mable Young Good Neighbor Award in 1999. She served on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Specialized Hospital for 12 years. She also volunteered for Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic church, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Mountainside Music Association, and was chair of the March of Dimes. Marilyn was a positive force in her community throughout her lifetime.

This inspiring woman had lived through the Great Depression, polio scares, World War II, attended church for over 60 years, raised three children, helped with grandchildren, and was married to David for 64 years, until his passing. She was very optimistic, a hard worker, believed in education as a way to better yourself, a natural born leader, firm in her convictions and faith in God, and focused on the well-being of her family.

Marilyn was predeceased by her husband, David M. Hart, (1927 to 2016), her sister Elizabeth “Bunte” Willard and her brother, Edward Patrick McGuire. She is survived by her three children, Dr. D. Michael Hart, (Eileen), of Westfield, NJ, Ellen Richardson, (Brad), of Dover, DE and Alison Brafman, (Ari), of Plainfield, NJ, 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

The viewing is Sunday, March 30, from 1 pm to 5 pm at Higgins and Bonner Funeral Home, 528 Springfield Ave, Westfield, NJ. Monday morning, March 31st, 10 am, there will be a Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church, 300 Central Ave, Mountainside, NJ. At 11:30 am, the burial will take place at Fairview Cemetery, 1100 East Broad St, Westfield, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St Jude’s Hospital www.stjude.org/donate.