Marian Helen (Wood) Warden transitioned from this life on June 6, 2021, after 90 years during which she was a devoted and loving wife, mother, daughter, aunt and friend. She had always been blessed with excellent physical health but the past several months found her hospitalized or in skilled nursing care more often than ever before in her life. She was in the care of Covenant Hospice at the time of her passing.
Marian is survived by her “boys”, her two sons Steven “Mitch” of Pensacola, Florida, and Frank of Gulf Breeze, Florida. In addition, she is survived by her sister Priscilla “Pat” Allen of Montpelier, Vermont, numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law as well as nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 49 years, Carl E. Warden of Gulf Breeze, Florida; her son-in-law Matthew (Palmer); her father Herbert J. Wood; her mother Edith (Thurston) Wood; her brothers Albert R. Wood and Donald H. Wood; her sisters-in-law Phyllis (Morehouse) and Phyllis (Gorham); her brother-in-law Frank (Allen); and her nephew Alan all of Vermont. She was also preceded in death by her father-in-law James R. Warden and mother-in-law Norma (Collier) Warden of Imboden, Virginia. Several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law in the Warden family preceded her in death as well: Mitchell, Harold, Madge, Emerson and Wylenne all of whom resided in various locations around the country.
Marian was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on September 4, 1930, the third of four children in her family. The Wood family owned and operated a dairy farm in South Kirby, Vermont, and all of the children did their share in order to ensure that the farm ran smoothly. She was no stranger to hard work and she came to enjoy working outdoors, in later years devoting many hours to the flower beds and beautiful yard that graced the home that she and Carl enjoyed in Gulf Breeze, Florida, where they lived from 1980-2017. The last four years of her life, Marian resided at The Watermark in Gulf Breeze.
Upon graduating from Concord High School, Concord, Vermont in 1948, Marian ventured into the world and attended a business school in Concord, New Hampshire. Upon successful completion, she was hired by New England Telephone & Telegraph as an administrative assistant. She worked for the phone company for 10 years during which time she met U.S. Air Force Sergeant Carl Warden at a local barn dance. The two dated and were married on March 14, 1959. Marian left the employ of NET & T to dedicate herself to being an Air Force wife. Carl and Marian welcomed Mitch to their family in 1960 and they soon transferred to Ohio and then Puerto Rico. Frank joined the family there in 1967. They then transferred to Massachusetts and California, where Carl retired from the Air Force and moved the family to Florida, North Carolina and back to Florida, finally settling in Gulf Breeze in 1980 and considering it “home” ever since. At various times, Marian worked for Home Accents, Pensacola and Delchamps, Gulf Breeze as well as assisted at J.J. Newberry’s, Pensacola, when Carl was manager there.
Marian was active in the community. She was a member of the congregation of Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church. Over the years she volunteered in various capacities with the following organizations: Interfaith Ministries Thrift Shop, Gulf Breeze Public Library Book Store, Gulf Breeze Zoo (during the annual Zoo Lights event), Gulf Breeze High School Quarterback Club.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Julie Runnels and Shannon Pettis at The Watermark, Tina Maltby at Olive Branch Skilled Nursing, Bridget on the 4th floor nursing station at West Florida Hospital and the staff of Covenant Hospice. A very special thanks to Sabrina Evans, Marian’s physician.
Services will be Saturday, June 12th, with visitation at 11:00am followed by the funeral service at 12:00 p.m., both at Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in the name of Marian Warden to the American Red Cross would be appreciated. You may do so by visiting https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.redcross.org/donate and click "Dedicate this gift to a friend or loved one", enter her name there.
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