Eva Marie Stinson was born on October 20, 1957 at Columbia Hospital in Washington DC. Her mother was Betty Conway/Stinson and father, Clyde Stinson. She was named after her grandmother, Eva Pearl Conway and used her middle name, Marie with family and friends. She and her mother Betty lived in an apartment for several years with her Grandmother, Aunt Dot (Dorothy Conway) and cousin, Bob Bowman. Her mother married George Giddens and moved into their own house close by. Family was everything to Marie.
Marie graduated from Northwestern High School class of 1975 and started working as a mail technician sorting and packaging bulk mail at the Direct Mail Advertising Agency in Hyattsville. She worked there for over 30 years until it closed. She wanted to work for the Prince Georges County Public Schools and after volunteering at several schools finally got a permanent position as a Food Service Assistant at the Rosa Parks Elementary School in Hyattsville until her death.
Marie was raised and lived in the Mount Rainier/Brentwood area all her life. She and many family members, attended Mount Rainier/Cedar Lane United Methodist Church where she participated in the Methodist Youth Fellowship, Wesley Fellowship, the Junior Choir and in the Adult Choir as an adult. She was also a member of the Youth Temperance Council in her teens and twenties. After the Mount Rainier United Methodist church closed, she joined the Ager Road United Methodist Church in Hyattsville.
Marie’s stepfather, George Giddens, a WWI Veteran, passed away in 1969. Marie and her mother lived together in Brentwood for many years. Marie would check on her grandmother most days after school or work until she passed away in 1979. Marie’s mother had diabetes most of her life and depended on Marie for care when she became chronically ill. Her mother died in 2001 after going in and out of hospitals for years.
Marie was fiercely independent and lived alone after her mother passed away but checked on her Aunt Dot taking her to doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping whenever she needed her. Marie loved the being outdoors. She walked everywhere in her local neighborhood and had many acquaintances and friends. She enjoyed gardening with friends, and was hired to care for lawns and provide pet sitting for travelers or elderly neighbors.
A passion of hers was bird watching. She was a regular on bird trips with the Mount Rainier Nature Center. She was especially fond of trips to the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Cecil County, MD. Marie and her birding friends were able to see dozens of American Bald Eagles in their natural habitat. She enjoyed watching the local wildlife that made their home in her neighborhood.
Marie was a fervent animal lover and had many pets over her lifetime. Her most recent furry friend of 13 years, Quebec the cat, now resides with her cousin Bob.
Marie supported many charitable activities with her volunteer services, but she was most devoted to the local Crop Hunger Walk sponsored by Church World Service to raise funds to end hunger in the US and around the world. The local walk is held every year sponsored by local churches in Prince George’s County. She recruited donors to sponsor her walk, and also recruited others to join her team of walkers.
Marie was hospitalized in early December 2020, diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and was transferred to Largo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. At the time of her death she was under hospice care with Capital Caring.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Crop Hunger Walk at crophungerwalk.org.
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