Marilyn Ballou Starr passed away in her Green Avenue home in the early morning hours of Friday, July 11, surrounded by her immediate family. She was 75 years old. Born in Berkeley, Calif., on Nov. 15, 1938, Marilyn attended Piedmont High School and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California’s Davis campus, where she majored in art and French. After completing an alternative accreditation program at the University of California, Berkeley, she taught French and English at three high schools in northern and southern California. While teaching she completed her master’s degree in 1969 at the French School at Middlebury College. In 1962, she married John Bryan Starr, whom she had known since childhood. The two spent their honeymoon in the deep February snows of Yosemite Valley. After some adventures in Southeast Asia, and having two daughters, the couple relocated to New Canaan in 1978, where Marilyn accepted the offer of a teaching position at New Canaan Country School. She taught French for the following 25 years, serving during her last five years as head of the foreign languages department. Marilyn shared with everyone whom she met her passion for all things French — its art, its culture, its literature and its cuisine. Family meals, which often brought friends and neighbors to the table, were convivial, delicious and filled with laughter and conversation. When she was not preparing elaborate meals, Marilyn visited art galleries, researched French social history and filled the house with opera music. Inspired by her passion, many of her students went on to make France a part of their lives and their careers. She retired from Country School in 2004. Following her retirement she returned to her love of art and resumed watercoloring. Rural landscapes and still life tableaus of flowers from her garden were her favorite subjects. She also served as an active volunteer at the New Canaan Library and in the Conversation Partners program at Norwalk Community College. She is survived by her husband, her daughters, Lynne Starr Ringer and Katherine Anne Salomon, her sons-in-law, Gordon Ringer and Rafael Salomon, and her grandchildren, Christopher and Caroline Ringer. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Horizons Summer Enrichment Program based at the New Canaan Country School,horizonskids.org. Click for Map and Directions