HAMPDEN – Marilyn Claire (Smith) Playter, 83, died Thursday, March 11, 2010, with her loving daughter, Laura, by her side at a Bangor nursing facility. She was born Jan. 15, 1927, in Newark, N.J., daughter of Charles A. “Buck” Smith and Frances (Byrnes) Smith Deevy. She was a lifelong resident of Belford, N.J., before moving to Hampden in July 2004. Marilyn met her husband, Gordon William Playter Jr., while they both attended and graduated from Fairleigh Dickenson Junior College. She was a better dress buyer for Hayne & Company in New Jersey, and later in life she took over as owner of her father’s business, Buck Smith’s “House of Brides,” a landmark banquet facility in Middletown – Keansburg, N.J. Marilyn loved to travel, and travel she did, all over the world from the South Pole to Russia with many stops in between. Her last big trip was to Kenya on a safari. It was better to ask her where she hadn’t been rather than where she had been. She is survived by her daughter, Laura Playter Poll and husband, Everett “Bud” Poll, of Hampden; son-in-law, Drew Roberts of Belford, N.J.; daughter-in-law, Susan Miller Playter of Middletown, N.J.; son-in-law and daughter-in-law, Gary and Cheryl Apel of Island Heights, N.J.; her beloved pug, Max Playter; grandchildren of Maine, David Poll and wife, Toni, of Hudson, Melissa Poll Gould and husband, Jaimie, of Levant and Kristen Poll of Jacksonville, Fla.; and grandchildren in New Jersey, Karisa, Shannon, Cole and Grant Playter of Middletown, Brendan Apel and wife, Anne Marie, of Island Heights, Justin Apel and wife, Danielle, of Bayville, Kevin Apel of Island Heights and Desa Martin Dalia and husband, Fred, of Brick. She leaves behind her great-grandchildren, Diane Apel, Hunter Poll, Jacob Gould and Maiella Apel; and Desa’s four children. She also leaves behind her special cousin, Marcy Labarge of Tempe, Ariz., whom she spent so many happy times with in Florida and Arizona; brother-in-law, George Playter of Sedona, Ariz.; and sister, Eleanor Smith Wilcox and husband, Russell Wilcox, of New Jersey. She was predeceased by her husband, Gordon W. Playter Jr., May 23, 2007; her daughters, Diane Playter Apel, April 25, 1975, and Sharon Playter-Roberts, Sept. 22, 2009; and her son, James G. Playter, Oct. 30, 2009. Interment will be in the spring at Lakeview Cemetery, Hampden. A private family celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held in Jupiter, Fla. Arrangements entrusted to Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden. Messages of condolence and memories may be shared through www.hampdengilpatrick.com. <
MARILYN C. PLAYTER
