Margaret Emma Hayden, more commonly known as Marnie, was born March 13th, 1950, in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. She passed away on January 22nd, 2025, at the age of 74 in Dubuque, Iowa. She was the eldest child of Peter and Gertrude Birkett and is survived by her daughter, Lorna Meierbachtol, son-in-law Bernd Meierbachtol, and twin granddaughters Penelope and Amalia. Her siblings are William, Peter, David, Mary, and Thomas Birkett.

Marnie attended Hull University and almost had a career in law but plans changed when she met her future husband, Michael Hayden. They managed pubs in London together until their divorce in the early 1980s. In 1985 she immigrated to the United States and joined her family in Stamford, CT. She quickly established roots in the community and started work at a publishing company. Marnie’s next job took her to Nine West Group shoe company where she worked her way up from Administrative Assistant to Vice President of Facilities. She accomplished one of her greatest career achievements by moving the entire company from their headquarters in Stamford to a new location in White Plains, NY, an enormous undertaking. She also assisted in the relocation and closure of the US Shoe Group offices based in Ohio. Later she transitioned to a facilities role at International Paper, where she similarly undertook the challenging task to move their corporate offices from Connecticut to Tennessee. After her corporate career she focused on helping others, from caretaking her grandchildren in California to teaching English as a second language to working with young children in her adopted home of Dubuque.

Marnie was one of the kindest and welcoming people you’d ever meet. From being the consummate big sister to all her siblings, to her time in the south of France as an au pair, she doted on all children big and small. She adored all her nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and any baby she could get her hands on. Her infectious sense of humor assured you a follow-up quote or laugh whenever Monty Python or Fawlty Towers were involved. You would often find her reading, especially her favorites, fantasy and science fiction. She loved traveling to spend time with family in Europe, and also to her very favorite beach resort, the Pink Shell, in Fort Myers Beach, FL.

A funeral mass will take place at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Stamford, CT on February 15th at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.