Marilyn Lucille (Pingatore) Danis

Marilyn Lucille (Pingatore) Danis, 81, of Fayetteville, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Born on June 4, 1944, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Mary Carmola Pingatore and Sylvester Pingatore, Marilyn possessed a fiercely loving heart and an unstoppable drive. A self-made entrepreneur, she built a remarkable career beginning in the mid-1970s when she earned her real estate broker license and joined Lain and Koenig Real Estate in Fayetteville. Her determination and talent led her to establish Century 21 Danis & Associates, where she mentored many agents, with a special commitment to supporting military spouses. In September 1991, she founded Residential Mortgage Corp., which became the most successful locally owned mortgage company in the Fayetteville area. She also owned and operated North Pointe Auto Bath, North Pointe Express Care, and Cross Creek Title Services, LLC.

Marilyn is survived by her three sons, James H. Danis, II (Deborah F. Danis), Tracy A. Danis, and Gregory W. Danis (Tina R. Danis); four grandchildren, Zachery J. Danis, Haley K. Danis, Joshua C. Danis, and Brittany Bowling; six stepchildren, Gina Zwan Jones, Freda Zwan Beasley, Francis Zwan, Edward Zwan, Reggie Zwan, and Michel Sumner; three siblings, Sylvester Pingatore, Jr., Frances Pingatore, and Sandra Raynard; and many nieces, nephews, and cherished friends she considered family. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Edward R. Zwan.

She will be laid to rest in her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens beside her husband.