Marjorie Lynn Durdack, a hometown “Jersey Girl,” passed away peacefully at home Feb. 15, 2026, at the age of 85, seeing the silhouette of the pole barn standing silently in the snow.
She was born in Long Branch and raised in Little Silver as one of a set of identical twin girls. After graduating from Red Bank High School, she got married and raised four children in Holmdel.
Following her divorce, she moved to Absecon and purchased and operated the Sunryser Country Store and home. Many years later, she moved to Galloway Township and purchased and restored an old, historic farmhouse. She was a woman who cherished her roots, growing them deeply in Little Silver, Holmdel, Absecon and Galloway. Even while facing the toughest challenges, she was a truly hardworking woman who was not afraid to tackle any task given to her. She was a nurturing presence, providing a safe harbor of love and support for her family and friends.
Marjorie loved Christ Church Shrewsbury, Eastern bluebirds, old houses, two-story barns, swinging wooden gates, dirt roads, streams and rocks. She especially loved her dogs, Paint, Missy, Dolly, Curly, AC, Freckles and Peaches.
She is survived by her four children, Thomas (Kim), Jennifer (Hal), Joseph, and Carrie (Danny); her grandchildren, Lauren (Mitch), Rebecca, Sam, Ben, David (Savannah), and Isabella; many nieces and nephews; and her brother Phillip (Beverly). She was predeceased by her mother Marjorie, her father George Ryser, her brother George “Butchie” (Shirley) and her sister Marion Phillips.
Visitation and a service were held Feb. 20 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. Burial followed at Holmdel Cemetery, Holmdel.
The article originally appeared in the February 26 – March 4, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
