Marie F. Dilworth

She will be remembered with love and respect by her daughter, Amy Dilworth Gabel, and son-in law, Randy W. Gabel, as well as family, and the many friends that she made along her journey of 88 years. Marie was born in Mt. Bethel Township in Pennsylvania on September 10,1936. Growing up on a farm and facing some challenging illnesses as a young child, Marie was no stranger to hard work. Following graduation from Bangor High School (1954), she attended West Chester State College, where she met John, her loving husband of 61 years. Upon marriage and graduation, Marie and John moved to Linwood, New Jersey, where they both taught. In 1962, they moved to Delaware, where they finished their careers in education.

Marie taught at the elementary level, first at the upper grades. When Marie returned from maternity leave, she discovered her passion, early childhood education. She taught kindergarten until her retirement in 1991. Marie was always proud to have been involved in developing the initial curriculum and standards for early childhood education in Delaware. On this committee, she advocated for a focus on the whole child and on the need to provide developmentally appropriate instruction to young children.

Our family took many spring break trips to Myrtle Beach; John and Marie fell in love with the area. Upon Marie’s retirement, she and John moved to Surfside Beach, SC where they enjoyed golfing, the beach, and the local seafood. Impressively, she scored a hole-in-one in 1987! In 2004, they moved to Summerfield, FL where they truly became avid square dancers. Marie believed strongly that socialization and challenges for the mind (and body) is critical to aging well. In 2012, they decided to move to The Cascades in Greenville, SC. Marie loved to read, typically finishing at least 3-6 books each month. She also enjoyed Mahjong, crosswords, and completing advanced Sudoku puzzles in her list of hobbies.

Marie was known by many as someone who enjoyed bringing people together for dinner and lively conversation at The Cascades. She relished spending time with people who had diverse interests and who not only wanted to share what they knew but were also interested in what others had to say. Fiercely independent, she always advocated for what she viewed as just. She encouraged others to share their voice when faced with challenges. While not everyone would always agree with her views, she stands as a model for many because of her willingness to persevere in the face of challenges. Marie was admired by friends and family for her strong spirit and dedication to those she loved; she will be missed greatly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marie’s honor to the following organizations: UF Proton Therapy Institute, 2015 North Jefferson St., Jacksonville, FL 32206 (floridaproton.org; https://giving.ufhealth.org/events-campaigns/proton/); the Greenville Humane Society, 305 Airport Rd., Greenville, SC 29607 (https://www.greenvillehumane.com/donate/#give-online); or The Brandywine Valley SPCA (Georgetown), 19022 Shingle Point Road, Georgetown, DE, 19947 (https://bvspca.org/donate/honor-a-life).