Five-term county council member Marilyn Praisner died Friday morning of complications following heart-valve replacement surgery, according to a county press release. She was 66 years old.
Praisner had surgery Wednesday morning at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda to replace two heart valves. Doctors told Praisner’s family that morning that the surgery went well. It’s not clear when her health took a turn for the worse.
“Marilyn was truly a legend in her own time. Her quarter century of service in office was nothing short of extraordinary,” council president Mike Knapp said in a statement.
Praisner worked a full day before her scheduled surgery, and sent colleagues emails well into the evening, according to Knapp. “There was truly no one like her, and we shall never forget her or her passion for her work,” he said.
Praisner, a Calverton resident, represented the fourth district and recently completed her third one-year term as council president. She also chaired the council’s planning, housing and economic development committee, and served on its management and fiscal policy committee. Previously, Praisner was a member and president of the county’s board of education.
Before entering political office, Praisner spent 16 years at the Central Intelligence Agency as an intelligence analyst, branch chief and staff member for the deputy director of intelligence.
An alumnus of Rutgers University in New Jersey, Praisner earned her degree in journalism. She also completed the paralegal program at the University of Maryland.
A 38-year resident of Montgomery County, Praisner is survived by her husband, three children and four grandchildren.
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