Marilyn Peake

Marilyn Peake, a loving wife, mother and friend, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in her sleep on Monday morning, September 14th, 2026. She left an indelible mark on those around her and will be deeply missed.

Marilyn was born February 5th, 1953, in Newark, New Jersey to John and Olga Brown. Most of her early life was spent in Allentown, Pennsylvania where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and met her husband, William Peake Jr, who she married in 1980.

Marilyn earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology and practiced for some time as a Staff Clinical Psychologist. Soon after her son Billy was born, her family relocated to Manassas, Virginia. There, Marilyn had a second son, Benjamin, and spent 21 years raising her children and starting a new career as an author, publishing her first three books as well as several short stories.

Marilyn and William moved to Palmdale California in 2013. Marilyn continued to pursue writing, publishing 33 novels, novellas and short stories. She became a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author in 2018.

Marilyn was passionate about cinema, photography and travel. She fell in love with the movies after her first date with Bill. She photographed extensively and was a member of the Lancaster Photography Association and the Photographic Society of America. She traveled to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Greece, Crete, Albania, North Macedonia, and spent extensive time in Ireland to connect with relatives. She hoped to become an Irish citizen.

Marilyn had a generous and kind heart. She was a vibrant part of an extensive online writer’s community. She was an enormous part of her family. Her passing has left a void that will never be filled. She will be greatly missed.