Marilyn "Merry" (Lewis) Hobson

Marilyn (“Merry” Lewis) Hobson died at home on May 12, 2022 with all her family present. Marilyn was born August 19, 1936, the daughter of Herbert W. and Mae (Lord) Lewis of Weymouth and the sister of Elaine (Lewis) Grable and Edward Lewis.

Marilyn grew up in Weymouth, Massachusetts and graduated from Weymouth High School in 1954. She was a Weymouth cheerleader throughout high school and a life guard at Wessagusset Beach in Weymouth. 

Marilyn graduated from Colby Junior College in 1956. In 1957, she married Rodney Hobson who she met in high school. She traveled with Rod around the United States when Rod was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. After Rod left the military, they moved back to Massachusetts where they raised their family in Cohasset.

Marilyn was active in her church, the First Parish Unitarian Universalist congregation in Cohasset. She served on many committees including Religious Education and Parish Committee. She was an active volunteer in her children's schools, took many courses at Harvard Extension School, and was a long time member of Cohasset’s Discussion Club.

Marilyn marched to the beat of her own drummer, often with delightful results. She raised her five children with a no nonsense approach and with anachronistic amounts of freedom. She taught them to swim, to row, and to eat what was placed before them. Whining was not tolerated, and clocks were suggestions but not dictators of time. She created their childhood world, and gave them all each other. This is her enduring gift to them.

Marilyn had a knack for deeply understanding people. She was emotionally attuned to her family and her beloved cats. She ran, walked, gardened, read, and generally enjoyed the blessings that life provided for her. Above all else, she was a sort of strong gravitational force around which her family chaotically orbited. 

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 65 years Rodney Hobson, her sister Elaine and brother-in-law William Grable, and her sister-in-law Linda Lewis; by her children Richard Hobson, Abigail (Hobson) Alves and her husband Mark, Elizabeth (Hobson) Anderson and her husband Kirk, Susan (Hobson) Putziger and her husband Michael, and Peter Hobson and his wife Deirdre; and by her grandchildren Seth and Kellen Hobson, Melissa and Grace Alves, Jessica and Eric Anderson, Emily and Henry Dormitzer, and Oliver Hobson.

Through the last difficult years of her life, she was lovingly cared for by Martina Hoey, Ciara Murphy, and Katie Murphy. They immeasurably comforted both Marilyn and Rodney.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 25 at 2:00pm at the First Parish Meeting House in Cohasset. A reception at the Parish House will follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory Marilyn Hobson to the First Parish in Cohasset (23 Main Street, Cohasset MA 02025).