Wilma M. Dodd

Wilma Marilyn Dodd, a loving mother, sister and “Grammy,” passed away after a 30-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease on August 26, 2024. Born on January 10, 1939, in Unity Plantation, Maine, she was the daughter of Clinton and Evelyn Webb. 

Marilyn is survived by her children Russell and his wife Kathy of Billerica, Brian and his wife Phyllis of Richmond, VA and Amy of Athol. She was the devoted grandmother to five grandchildren, Kara, Brady, Jaime, Abby and Dylan. She is also survived by her siblings, Geraldine Lancaster of Skowhegan, ME, Alvyn Webb and his wife Patricia Webb of East Madison, ME and Avlyn Kell of Reidsville, NC. Marilyn was predeceased by her sister Emily Webb Courtmanche. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Born in Maine and raised in Massachusetts, Marilyn graduated from Wilmington High School in 1957, where she was a member of Glee Club and Prom Committee. Following high school, she dedicated her life to raising her three children. As a mother, Marilyn was selfless and would do anything for her children and supported them in everything that they did. Marilyn was resourceful and able to make the littlest things special. She provided for her children, working at an ice cream sandwich factory, sparking joy for her children by bringing home the imperfect products. She also started her own cleaning business and worked for Sweetheart Plastics. Most proudly, she worked at Thinking Machines in Cambridge, MA and was part of the team that created the computer used in Jurassic Park The Movie. 

Marilyn was a “Jane of All Trades.” When the home she raised her children in had a fire, she restored the cabinets herself, intent on creating a beautiful and respectable home. While raising her young children, Marilyn found community and role models for her kids in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. She grew to believe and love the Kingdom Hall and what it stood for. Marilyn was also a lover of gardening, camping and delicious food. When her kids were grown, she shared many adventures with her best friends Millie, Helen and Peggy. Later in life, Marilyn worked part time evenings as a security guard where, despite her Parkinson’s Disease, she would lift weights in the gym on her rounds. 

A resident of Athol, where she lived with her daughter, Amy Robbin, for the past 9 years, she previously lived in Ayer. Marilyn was known for her love of adventure, her quiet way and her curiosity. In her later years, she enjoyed expanding her mind and challenging herself with daily trips to the senior center, where she notoriously dominated in trivia. 

Marilyn’s life was a testament to determination, resilience, and finding joy in the little things, like a turtle sunning itself on a pond, and the big things, like family. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, bravery and encouragement and she will be dearly missed by all who knew her. 

Visitation and memorial service will be on Monday, September 16th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home,110 New Athol Rd., Orange, MA 01364

In memory of Marilyn's life, the family is requesting that donations be made to michaeljfox.org in lieu of flowers.

Kevin J. Mack, Walter C. Taylor, and Melissa A. McQuaid, Funeral Directors.