Marilyn "Chickie" Polito

Marilyn “Chickie” Polito, 82 of Burlington, formerly of Lynnfield died peacefully at her home on Monday March 9.

Born in White Plains, NY, September 1, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Mary (Good) Haskell.

Marilyn was a graduate of Cambridge & Latin Class of and later married the love of her life, Michael J. Polito. They were married 58 years.

She was the loving mother of Michelle Polito, Dawn-Marie Morris and her husband Derek, and Cathy Polito all of Burlington. She was the sister of Claire Haskell of Belmont and the late Joanne Boudreau, Thomas Haskell Jr., John Haskell, and Barbara Blake. She is also survived by her two grandchildren, Michael and Erin Morris.

She will be remembered for her sense of humor, her strength and determination, and the sacrifices she made throughout her life, always putting others before herself. She taught all of us what unconditional love, kindness, caring, and compassion looked like. Her example will stay with our family forever.

The special relationship she had with her daughter Cathy was beautiful to watch. She had incredible patience and love, and she dedicated her life to caring for and watching over her. Cathy loved to tease and joke with her every day, and she would patiently go along with it, always happy to humor her. The bond they shared was truly unbreakable.

In addition to her deep love for Cathy, she adored her grandchildren, Michael and Erin. She cherished them both equally, each in their own special way. Her eyes would light up, and her face would brighten with a smile every time she spoke about them.

For more than five years, she lived with a long and difficult illness, facing metastatic lung cancer with a strength that was nothing short of extraordinary. She never complained, never made it about herself, and continued to live her life with quiet resilience and grace. She carried on with her daily routines, never asking for help and never losing her sense of self. Her strength and determination were unlike anything we have ever seen.

Her funeral mass will be celebrated in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 5 Grove St., Lynnfield, on Thursday, March 12 at 10 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday, March 11 from 4- 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284