CURRENT CELEBRATIONS

Marion Doerrmann

She lived 101 years at 101 miles per hour; Marion was a woman in motion. Her boundless energy most likely dated to her days on the farm; she was raised on the Rainey Farm and ran it for many years with her husband. She’d be by his side, driving trucks and tractors and packing when the crops came in. She cooked three squares a day and it all came from the land; a garden where she raised vegetables to be canned, sundry pigs and cows and chickens roaming about. She even made her own butter, cottage cheese and ice cream. Her husband hunted quite a bit, so she learned how to make everything from rabbit to sirloin. The end of the day found the two of them settling down to have a drink. The woman of extremely few vices would smile and tell you it was five o’clock somewhere. She also worked at the Swedesboro Auction (loved because it was Marion who handed out the checks) and Stecher’s Country Store. Many argued, though, that she came upon her real calling late in life; she was a “Grammy” for the ages. Not just for her own family, but all of their friends. She was always up for an adventure (especially St. Michaels), would hit them with her wit when they least expected it and had them by her side helping out on the farm. Of course, she was never more at home than when she was out on the water on her boat, “Good Grief.” She always fished with the same rod from the days of her youth. She loved her times in Townsend’s Inlet, staying in the Edgewater House. Not really into the ocean, she was more of a back bay girl, fishing and crabbing til the sun went down. After the two sold the farm, they had the chance to travel, seeing every landmark in the U.S., Hawaii and more than a few cruises. Marion loved the holidays and hosted them all, her farmhouse full of the smells of her cooking, her family and just about everybody who didn’t have a place to be. She had a fondness for cardinals (when a cardinals appear, angels are near) and if her T.V was on she’d be checking out the Hallmark Channel, Wheel and Jeopardy. She was a member of the Bethesda United Methodist Church where she was active in the JEMS classes, bible school and Eastern Star.

The pretty red-headed girl from the Swedesboro Class of ’41 caught the eye of a handsome boy from the class ’42. She and the late Jim would marry and share a marriage blessed by a daughter, Susan (the late Gary) Osborn, and later by grandchildren, Shannon (Barry) Gandy and Ryan (Victoria) Osborn, great grandchildren, Rylee, Kaitlynn, Brianna, Julie, Colin, Savanna and Lucas and she lived long enough to hold her great-great granddaughter, Emmaretta.

Come celebrate 101 great years, Wednesday January 29, 10-11 a.m. at Daley Life Celebration Studio, Swedesboro where there will be an 11 a.m. service. Interment Lake Park Cemetery, Woolwich.