Marie Pellum Chaplinsky

Marie Pellum Chaplinsky, 75, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 24, 2024, in our home in Katy, Texas. Marie was born on August 12, 1948, to Jonnie and Rose Pellum in Galveston, Texas, where she was raised and lived. She attended Ball High School, graduating class of 1968. Marie attended North Texas State College. She went on to become a United Airlines Stewardess and flew out of Chicago for several years.

Marie and I met at the beach in Galveston while surfing, and we dated through the years. We got married in 1981 and shared a wonderful life together.

Marie’s heart was always in traveling and she became a travel agent and worked for several travel companies as an event planner. She next opened her own company specializing in meetings and incentives. Marie was very successful, gave all her talents to the client, and operated many meeting programs around the world. She was about to leave on her last program to Monte Carlo in Europe last September when she got very sick and could not go. She was in four hospitals before I took her home to care for her and be with her dogs she loved so dearly. I was with her when she passed to be with the Lord.

Marie loved animals, Colorado, and nature. We traveled to Colorado many times and she loved the mountains and jeeping on the back roads.

Her love for our dogs was amazing. Our dogs were our children and were spoiled and very happy. They were with her until she passed. There is a sign on her desk upstairs where she worked, it reads:

“My idea of Heaven is to get there and find every dog I’ve ever loved waiting for me.”

Marie loved people and bringing them together. She had many catered Dinner Parties at our home for friends and neighbors.Her Christmas Tree Trimming Parties were an annual spectacle. Each year it got bigger and more elaborate. Her trimming team would create an amazing Christmas Tree and decorate the house for Christmas.

Marie loved clothes and designer fashion. We received shipments from Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Sundance all week, and on Saturday I would take her to the return what she didn’t like. It was my chore on Saturday.

Here is one of her stories: I was visiting her in one of the rehabilitation hospitals last November and she asked me to bring her a pair of pants and a shirt so she could go to the exercise room tomorrow. I did, and when I gave it to her and she said, “I can’t wear that.” I asked why, and she responded, “Because they don’t match.” That was Marie, always concerned with how she looked.

We all miss her and know that she is in Heaven with the Lord and her dogs.