Marilyn Edith Regan

Marilyn Edith Hartson Regan, 92, of North Hampton, NH passed away on January 17, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on June 23, 1933, to Charles F. Hartson and Edith Shuttleworth Hartson in Portsmouth, NH.

She graduated from Portsmouth High School and joined the Air Force at 18 years old. She married an Air Force medic, William David Regan, on August 23, 1952, in Oklahoma. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2002.

She loved being part of a military family, living in Oklahoma, Virginia, Japan, Kansas, Colorado, New York, Connecticut, and Texas. In 1956, she bravely flew alone with her two young daughters, from Boston to Japan to join David.

When David was deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam in 1969, she moved her family back to Portsmouth to be near her parents.

He retired in San Antonio after 25 years in the military. They later returned to Portsmouth, where she worked for Dr. Frank Graff in Portsmouth, then later as a florist at Portsmouth Gardens. She had a green thumb with both plants and gardens.

Marilyn loved telling people that her four daughters were born in three different states and one foreign country – Japan.

She traveled widely in the U.S. and Europe and achieved a lifelong dream of traveling to China in 1988. She was fascinated by Native American and Asian culture and sponsored a young Navajo boy from the southwest.

After David retired from his second career at the University of New Hampshire, they bought a home in North Ft Myers, and one in North Hampton. She made friends easily with her outgoing personality and enjoyed socializing.

Marilyn recently moved to Langdon Place in Exeter and had settled in to assisted living.

She is survived by her sister, Barbara J. Hambleton of Ft Myers, Florida; her four daughters, Michele (Ryan) Regan-Ladd; Deborah Regan (Peter Kelley); Kate Regan (Chris Bryne); Bet Regan (Michael Holley); five grandchildren, Eoin (Brogan) Gillespie, Sarah Regan-Kelley; Ethan Regan-Bryne, Kera Regan-Byrne (Henry Varona) and Erin Regan-Ladd, two great grandchildren, Brynn and Colin Gillespie. She was predeceased by her brothers Donald Hartson and Robert Hartson.

Thank you to Anne Shannon, the staff of Langdon Place of Exeter, and the medical staff of Exeter Hospital for their support.

Burial will take place in the summer with private services for family. Donations in her name made be made to one of her favorite charities, Mercy Ships.