MARION ROSE MARSEL (OELRICH)
April 30, 1923 - Sept. 4, 2013
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Marion Marsel, on September 4th, 2013 at Princeton, BC, at the age of ninety. Marion was a special mother, grandmother, great-great grandmother, and aunt, as well as a good friend to many. She was born at Cold Spring Ranch in Princeton and was the last of ten children of the Albert and Sarah Oelrich family.
Marion was predeceased by her husband, Sandy Marsel (“the love of her life”) November 3rd, 1978; her daughter, Sandra, on March 17, 1968; and her son, Lance, on March 3rd, 2011. She will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her son, Bob Marsel (Colleen) of Duncan and her son, Blaine Marsel (Arlene) of Princeton, and various nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren and one great-great grandson and great-great granddaughter.
Marion was a pioneer of Princeton and was actively involved in many clubs and activities over the years, including: the Princeton Business & Professional Women’s Club, the Red Hat Society, the Vermilion Field Naturalist Club, TOPS, Curves, the Movers and Shakers Singing Group, Rebekah Lodge, the Crisis Line, the Princeton Legion Branch #56 and the Princeton Hospital Auxiliary. Marion would always take time to visit friends in the hospital and Ridgewood Lodge. She enjoyed watching performances of local theatre groups, dance groups, as well as playing the piano and singing along. Marion loved to read, was an excellent crossword puzzle solver, love the English language, exercising and walking to keep in shape. She was proud of the fact that she was the first woman taxi driver in Princeton when they opened Marsel’s Taxi Service in 1954.
Marion was voted Woman of the Year by the Princeton Chamber of Commerce in 1992 and received a Pioneer Family Award in 2010. She always enjoyed time with her many friends at the Senior Citizens Centre, Branch #30 and at the Adult Day Centre at Vermilion Court. She was a classy lady who loved to be “dressed to the nines” and she participated as a model in many fashion shows over the years. She was so pleased to celebrate her 90th Birthday with all her family and friends at the Princeton Legion Hall in early May of this year.
The family would like to give a special thank you to Dr. David Smith, the caring Princeton Hospital nursing staff and Community Services, as well as Guadalupe Gutierrez. Marion requested no funeral service, but a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 21st, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Senior Citizen’s Centre in Princeton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, #4 - 1551 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9M9