Esther Marilyn Picchiottino (née Petersen)

Esther “Marilyn” Picchiottino, age 88, of Longmont, Colorado, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy shaped by wisdom, deep love, and an indomitable spirit. Her life was a vibrant tapestry of love, tragedies, comedies, and triumphs.

At the age of two, Marilyn was diagnosed with polio, a life-threatening disease at the time that often left survivors permanently disabled. Though doctors told her mother she might never walk again, Marilyn defied the odds—she not only walked, but ran, danced, and climbed mountains.

Born in Missouri Valley, Iowa, Marilyn spent most of her childhood there, and several years in Spokane, Washington. When she was sixteen, her family relocated to Loveland, Colorado, where she graduated from Loveland High School in 1955. She married Joseph (Pete) Lester Redman in 1956. Marilyn faced profound heartbreak when her first child, Joel Bryan Redman, was stillborn. She later welcomed her second child, Patrick (Pat), whom she fondly remembered as "too good to be true," followed by three daughters—Callee, Jaimee, and Darcee—who were "not so perfect, but equally loved."

In 1965, Marilyn made the courageous and unusual choice for the era to leave her marriage. Finding herself divorced in the 1960s with four children and no formal work experience, she sought guidance. While many women were steered toward secretarial programs, a forward-thinking counselor at Boulder Vo-Tech recommended computer operations.

Upon completing her program, she secured a position at Ball Brothers in Boulder. Determined to provide more than a mere subsistence for her family, she worked tirelessly, taking on odd jobs and teaching evening classes at the vocational school. She even learned to belly dance, transforming it into a popular evening class. Having learned the critical importance of financial independence during her sudden single parenthood, she saved diligently from every single paycheck, eventually purchasing her own home in Longmont in 1972.

Marilyn was a passionate lover of beauty and culture. She ensured all her children took piano lessons and later explored other instruments. She filled their lives with enriching trips to museums, the zoo, botanic gardens, the library, and the mountains. A woman of many talents, she painted beautiful European landscapes and read endlessly to her children, instilling in them a lifelong love of literature. In her younger years, she also penned thrilling horror stories, sparking a shared family affection for the macabre.

In the early 1970s, Marilyn began her career at the University of Colorado in data processing, eventually rising to a managerial role. She moved to Boulder in 1976, where she resided until returning to Longmont in 2017.

In 1968, Marilyn met John Picchiottino, the love of her life, at the Matterhorn restaurant south of Boulder on Highway 93. Both having been married before, they enjoyed a patient, thirteen-year courtship—and beautifully continued to "date" long after tying the knot. When they finally married, they returned to the site of their first meeting. Though the original restaurant had burned to the ground years prior, they exchanged vows among the ruins, overlooking the beautiful Flatiron mountains. Together, they were vibrant fixtures of the Boulder community, holding season tickets to the Boulder Philharmonic and CU Football games, and spending cherished evenings dancing into their 80s at Band on the Bricks and Rhythm on the Rails.

In her final years, Marilyn faced the fog of dementia with dignity, ultimately finding a quiet, peaceful release. The profound wisdom, compassion, kindness, and radical acceptance she extended to her children and everyone who knew her will remain forever.

Marilyn was a monumental influence in the lives of her family and friends. She will be deeply and greatly missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She is survived by her brother, Keith; her four children, Patrick, Callee, Jaimee, and Darcee; John’s three children, Doug, Kathy, and Angela; as well as numerous beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and the significant others in her loved ones’ lives.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Bernard Picchiottino; her sister, Margaret Lydia Winnie; her brother, Kenneth Gilbert Petersen; and her parents, Hans Clarence Petersen and Esther Hobson Petersen.

Please join the family in celebrating Marilyn’s amazing life on Sunday, August 30, 2026 from 1:30 - 3:30 pm at the Dickens Opera House located at 302 Main Street, Longmont, Colorado 80501

Note: Please enter through the second door from the corner to take the elevator to the second floor.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial gifts be made to TRU Community Care which provided hospice care the final days of her life. Please send check donations to 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Lafayette, CO 80026, or contribute online at www.trucare.org/donate.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com with her loving family.