Marilyn J. Ricci

Marilyn Ricci passed away on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026; she was 89 years old and passed peacefully surrounded by her family at the Indigo senior living community in Bartlett, Ill. Marilyn is survived by her husband Daniel, children Michael (Christine), Steven (Mary Ellen), Kenneth (Eva), and Linda (Bobby Walser), and more than a dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

While the above statements quickly recount the facts of Marilyn’s life, they fail to capture the incredible vitality and determination with which she lived. Born Marilyn Jane Moffett on August 12,1936, she lived in a cold-water basement flat on Chicago’s South Side, and was largely raised by her mother Gertrude Moffett and grandmother Elizabeth Seidelmann. A brilliant student, Marilyn skipped two grades in primary school, and ultimately graduated from Harrison High School. While working as a secretary at McCormick Works in Chicago, Marilyn met Daniel Ricci, a machinist and toolmaker who would become her husband. They wed on April 7, 1956, and would be together for more than 70 years.

Daniel and Marilyn settled in a Humboldt Park apartment and then moved to 818 N Drake Avenue. While Daniel continued his work at International Harvester, Marilyn created a home of love, organization, and structure for Michael, Steven, and Kenneth, who were respectively born in 1957, 1959, and 1961. Following a strict routine that included laundry every Monday and dinner every day at 5 p.m., Marilyn was a regular sight on Chicago Avenue, walking to the bakery, the butcher, and other establishments (often while pushing a buggy with her boys in tow). After nine years in their Drake Avenue apartment, the Ricci family moved to 2660 Westbrook Drive in Franklin Park, where Marilyn continued her management of the home and, five years later, gave birth to daughter Linda. Marilyn and Daniel lived in their Franklin Park home for three decades before retiring to Schaumburg.

Befitting her brilliance in school, Marilyn was multitalented and a lifelong learner. A gifted artist, Marilyn’s painting skills were apparent in all of her homes, ranging from homemade crafts to wall paintings in her Schaumburg ranch. A daily devotee of the New York Times crossword puzzle and the “Jeopardy!” television program, Marilyn read widely and acquired an expansive knowledge of history, politics, religion, and the arts. A natural in the kitchen, Marilyn cooked three meals a day for her and Daniel well into her 80s, and was a master of everything from homemade soups, to American casseroles, to old European bakes such as pasty and biscotti. Marilyn was also a lover of cinema, and watched hundreds of films throughout her years (with James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Michael Caine among her favorite screen luminaries).

As a wife, mother, grandparent, and great-grandparent, Marilyn was a remarkable combination of encouragement, patience, and determination. Always providing (and expecting) the best, she was a tireless presence at Daniel’s professional events, her sons’ Cub Scouts gatherings (she was a dedicated Den Mother, and a Den Mother Coach), her daughter’s academic accolades, and her grandchildren’s concerts, sporting events, and graduations, where her infectious laugh and smile were indelible presences. Her love and commitment were unlike any other, and her passing leaves an immediate void that can only be filled – incompletely – by the memories of her generosity, her wit, her dedication. She will forever be loved and cherished.

A celebration of life service will take place at St. Marcelline, 822 Springingsguth Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60193 on Saturday, January 24. Family visitation will take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. with the service immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.