MARILYN E. (ZACKARIAN) ALBRO

ALBRO, MARILYN E., 97, of West Greenwich, RI passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday December 31, 2024.

Marilyn was born in Providence on April 7, 1927 a daughter of the late Peter Zackarian and Elizabeth O. Zackarian.

Marilyn grew up in a musical Armenian family in South Providence, RI where she attended school and graduated from Central High School. Maril had two great loves that followed her throughout her life: her family and music. It’s no wonder that when those two things came together to form the band that later became known as “Eddie Zack and the Hayloft Jamboree”, true magic was sparked. Together with her brothers Edward “Eddie Zack”, Richard “Cousin Richie”, and her sister Mercedes “Babs” they forged a path for country music in Rhode Island and went on to form a fanbase that lived on for more than seven decades. 

Throughout the 40s and 50s the band signed first with Decca Records and then later with Columbia Records. As their popularity grew, it brought them the opportunity to perform on an NBC nationally broadcast radio show and eventually an immensely popular television program for WJAR Channel 10 and WPRO Channel 12 in the 1960s and 70s that combined barn style dance and country music. Maril continued to play most weekends with her sister Babs well into the 2000s and consistently won many awards with the Country Music Association of RI including best vocal duo, band of the year, album of the year, and best rhythm guitar player of the year. In 2013 "Eddie Zack and the Hayloft Jamboree" was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. 

Those who knew Maril personally knew her love of animals, gardening, spending time outdoors, and most importantly spending time with her family. She loved being around children and worked in both nursery school and elementary school classrooms. Outside of her musical career Maril spent many years as proprietor of the Mishnock Grove alongside her children where she became well known to the local community. Later Maril and her family established The Mishnock Barn in order to create a local venue for musical entertainment. She was a gentle soul with a contagious smile that made it impossible not to love her and she was known fondly as “Ma” to many more than just her children. 

Marilyn leaves behind her sister Mercedes “Babs” White, her seven children Maril Peterson (Robert), Waite Albro, Mark Albro (Karlene), Laurie Albro, Daniel Albro (Kelly), Joni Albro, and Nancy Albro. In addition she leaves her twelve grandchildren Tammy, Emily (Sr Martina), Benjamin, Samuel, Matthew, Chelsea, Sakara, Nathaniel, Keaton, Addison, Quinn, Zackarian and ten great-grandchildren. Marilyn was predeceased by her brothers Edward “Eddie Zack” Zackarian,  Richard “Cousin Richie” Zackarian, and her granddaughter Alicia Malikowski. 

A celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held at the Mishnock Barn, 200 Mishnock Road, West Greenwich on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2025 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. 

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