Marion Zalesky Costa, 86, of Red Bank, passed away in Pensacola, Florida, March 6, 2026. Marion was born Aug. 23, 1939, in Dayton, Ohio, and moved to Red Bank at an early age. A 1957 High Honors graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School, Marion was subsequently awarded an associate degree from Brookdale Community College in August 1983 and ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University. She continued to audit digital photography courses as a non-degree student at Brookdale through 2011.
While raising a family in Little Silver, Marion was an active member of the Monmouth Civic Ballet Board of Trustees. She also participated in many volunteer service projects with the Woman’s Club of Little Silver. Marion pursued formal painting classes at New York City’s School of Visual Arts. Always eager to apply her creative talents, Marion chaired many of the Monmouth Museum’s early, highly successful fundraising events and visually magnificent holiday showcases.
A lover of nature and mountainous places, Marion volunteered with the NJ Explorer Scouts in Little Silver, hiking and camping with local teen boys and girls. Winter months often found her cross country skiing in Vermont or Colorado.
Marion loved both visual and performing arts, particularly ballet. As a young working woman, she performed in local musical comedies and regularly pursued figure skating in her free time. She also enjoyed gardening and floral design. She led the floral committee at Church of the Nativity for several years, helping create beautiful altars for holiday events and church services. Marion was an enthusiastic photographer, documenting and exhibiting her many photos from 2012’s Super Storm Sandy, as well as unique images of New Jersey’s parks, flowers and landscapes.
Marion was predeceased by her husband, Sam Costa, and her sister, Janet Mastal of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Nolan of Fairhope, Alabama, and Laurel Robertson of Louisville, Kentucky, and sons Richard Costa of Bedminster and Mark Costa of Long Branch. Marion was a proud grandmother to four grandchildren: Sara, Ian, Samuel and Melissa. She is also survived by her brother Paul Zalesky of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and her younger sister, Susan Dunnell of Kensington, Maryland.
Marion had a robust love of life and will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who were fortunate to know her. A memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. June 3 at The Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven.
The article originally appeared in the April 16 – 22, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
