Marcy Sirat Rifkin Halsted

September 12, 1949 – March 9, 2026

Marcy Rifkin Halsted, who lived her life with curiosity, kindness, creativity, and an unwavering love for family and friends, passed away peacefully at home on March 9, 2026, after a long and courageous battle with endometrial cancer. She was 76. In her final hours she was surrounded, as she had been throughout her life, by the people who loved and admired her most.

Marcy was born on September 12, 1949, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Edith Kravitz Rifkin and Wallace “Wally” Rifkin. She grew up in a close-knit Jewish family with deep connections to relatives throughout Connecticut and New York—ties that helped shape her lifelong appreciation for family, community, and tradition.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Stephen Halsted; her son Janaka (Jay), 46, of Marietta, Georgia, and his wife Sarah; her daughter Elizabeth Black, 43, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and her husband Matthew; and four grandchildren who knew her as Mimi and brought her immense joy and pride: Avery (17) and Davis (15) Black, and Emery (11) and Benjamin (9) Halsted. She is also survived by her brother Larry Rifkin, his wife Carmelita, and their children and grandchildren, along with a wide circle of friends gathered over a lifetime of shared adventures and deep affection.

Marcy’s life was marked by curiosity about the world and a willingness to follow that curiosity wherever it led. She spent her childhood in both Connecticut and Florida before attending the University of Connecticut in the late 1960s, a time of great cultural and social change. There she met Stephen, the partner who would accompany her on a lifetime of exploration, and she earned her degree in Sociology.

Their early years together reflected the spirit of the era: adventurous, unconventional, and joyful. The young couple traveled the country in a Volkswagen bus that occasionally required the time-honored technique of pushing it downhill when the starter gave out. One summer they lived in a yoga community in the mountains of California. They later returned to the Northeast and spent four formative years in an international spiritual community known as The Abode of the Message in upstate New York. There, their first child was born at home in a house that Stephen and fellow community members helped build by hand. Marcy continued the tradition, with Elizabeth’s birth at home in Boston. 

Life continued to unfold in new chapters and new landscapes. The family lived in Boston while Stephen attended theological school to become an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. From there they moved to Williamsburg, Massachusetts; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and eventually to the Triangle region of North Carolina, which became their long-term home.

Wherever they lived, Marcy and Stephen shared a love of travel, nature, and discovery. Family vacations often involved camping trips with dear friends, exploring the beauty of America’s national parks and landscapes. Over the years they also traveled widely in Europe, Mexico, and across the United States, always returning home with stories, laughter, and memories.

In the 1980s, Marcy returned to school to earn a master’s degree in education and began a second chapter as an elementary school teacher. She taught in Massachusetts, New Mexico, and North Carolina, bringing warmth, patience, and curiosity to her students. Later she became a library assistant in the Wake County Public Library system, a role that allowed her lifelong love of reading to flourish while sharing that love with her community.

Creativity was another constant thread in Marcy’s life. In North Carolina she explored pottery, then crocheting, and eventually watercolor painting. She was also a wonderful cook and an enthusiastic baker, happiest when feeding family, friends, and anyone lucky enough to be nearby when something delicious emerged from her kitchen.

Her compassion extended beyond her human circle. Marcy loved cats deeply, mothering many over the years (Dandelion, Kiwi, Sox and more), and when her cancer returned in 2024 she adopted Edie (named for Marcy’s mother Edith and Stephen’s mother Elenor), a shy cat who was wary of almost everyone—except Marcy, with whom she formed an immediate and trusting bond.

Marcy described herself as spiritual, guided by Judeo-Christian teachings and a deep belief in the unity of religious ideals: love, harmony, beauty, compassion, justice, and peace. She often returned to the words of Micah 6:8 – to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly – a philosophy she lived not through grand gestures but through everyday kindness. And she revered the teaching of Jesus, especially Mark 12:31 – love your neighbor as yourself. Friendships were central to her life, and she maintained meaningful connections with people of all ages wherever she lived.

To know Marcy was to know warmth, curiosity, and generosity of spirit. She found beauty in the natural world, joy in creativity, humor in life’s unpredictable moments, and meaning in caring for others.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to organizations Marcy loved and supported: NeighborUp (Dorcas Ministries), Transitions LifeCare Hospice, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, or Cat Angels Pet Adoption.

The celebration of Marcy’s life will take place on April 11, 2026 at 3pm at Unity of the Triangle, located at 5570 Munford Rd. Raleigh, NC a reception will follow on location. 

Her life was rich in love, adventure, creativity, and friendship—and those who knew her will carry that spirit forward.