Marilyn Alice (Pease) Barry (August 14, 1948 - December 27, 2011)   Beloved Teacher and Community Activist     Marilyn P. Barry enjoyed dinner, laughter, stories, and exchanging gifts with her family on Christmas evening. Not long after her and her husband Gene's guests had left, a ruptured cerebral aneurysm sent Marilyn to Albany Medical Center, where her life concluded in the early morning hours of Tuesday December 27th. Marilyn was 63.   The last evening of her life was filled with the infectious enthusiasm and attention to detail which typified Marilyn's life: her gifts were given with song, and her cards were adorned with verse. Marilyn graduated valedictorian from Chatham High School in 1965 and summa cum laude with a degree in Latin from Wells College, where she was Phi Beta Kappa, in 1969. She subsequently earned master's degrees from Brown University and the State University of New York in Albany. During the first half of her career, Marilyn taught Latin, English, French, and reading. She served afterward as a school psychologist, vice-principal, and principal in the Hudson school district. Ultimately, Marilyn acted as superintendent for the Chatham school district before retiring in 2005.    Music was a source of joy in Marilyn's life. She acted and sang in various school and community dramatic productions, and she further supported the arts as president of the Columbia County Council on the Arts. "Grandma's singing is mesmerizing" reads the caption under a photograph in Marilyn's granddaughter Kiera's memory book from this past year, and it was. Marilyn was also an accomplished pianist.   In 1969, Marilyn married Eugene M. Barry of East Chatham. Along with him, she is survived by Donald Joseph Barry, her son; Daniel, Kerianne, and Kiera Barry, her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter; Stephen Barry and Erin Shaw, her son and his longtime companion; Denise C. Barry, her sister-in-law; Jane and James O'Connor, her sister and brother-in-law; and Mary and Margaret O'Connor, her nieces. Marilyn was pre-deceased by her parents, the late Augusta and Horace Pease.   Calling hours are from 9 to 11am on Saturday December 31st  at Saint James Church, Chatham, NY, services will follow at 11am followed by burial at Old Chatham Union Cemetery on Shaker Museum Road in North Chatham. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Marilyn P. Barry Scholarship Fund at the Chatham Central School District, to be administered by the Chatham Retired Teachers Association.   Anyone wanting to contribute checks to Marilyn's scholarship fund may make their checks out to: The Chatham Retired Teacher's Association and mail them in care of: Nancy Hammell, 93 Upper Cady Road, Old Chatham 12136.   Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, Chatham. For directions or to send an online condolence please visit www.frenchblasl.com