Marianne June Huebenthal-Zeifman of Sandy Hook died March 10. Born on June 4, 1931, she was the daughter of Ivy and Herbert Brice of Surrey, England.

Her brother, John Brice of Devon, England; her four children, Vivien Ciavara of Newtown, Tim Huebenthal of Southbury, Cassandra Huebenthal of Queens, N.Y., and Sara Marquis of Southbury; and her eight grandchildren survive Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman.

She grew up in Surrey. As a child, she liked to act in school productions, collect flowers, and take her dog, Jock, for long walks in the park. She also had two white rabbits who were always escaping and getting into neighbor's gardens. She had a lot of energy and was always on the go.

In 1948, Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman moved to London and worked for the BBC. In 1952, she moved to Sweden where she met her future husband, John Huebenthal. They married in May 1955 and moved to Central Park West in New York City. She worked for the Broadway producer Morton Gottlieb at MCA. She met many famous people and Julie Andrews asked her to be her secretary. She declined the offer because she was pregnant.

Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman and her family moved to Sandy Hook in 1972. They settled into a big, old house on Walnut Tree Hill Road. Tragically, her beloved husband was killed six months later. She kept her sanity by focusing on her four children, her gourmet cooking, and maintaining her English cottage garden. She also joined The Town Players in 1977. Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman acted in many plays and was well-liked by the audiences. She was a natural comedian and especially loved being in the English farces.

In 1981, she remarried Jerome M. Zeifman. He was an attorney in Washington, DC, and predeceased Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman  in 2010.

Friends may call on Sunday, March 19, from 4 to 7 pm at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown. There will be a service for Ms Huebenthal-Zeifman on Monday, March 20, at 11 am, at the Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, Newtown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The Town Players of Newtown, PO Box 211, Newtown CT 06470 or at newtownplayers.org.