Marian W. Byers

Marian Serena Whitaker was born August 10th, 1924 in Camden, New Jersey. As the oldest of 4 children, she spent the majority of her childhood in her beloved Fisher’s Hill area, in Portsmouth, Va., with her parents Victoria and Leon, sisters Audrey and Geraldine and brother Leon Jr.

Marian, a precocious child, was reading at age 5. She went on to act in school plays and graduated from Our Lady of Victory High School at 15. She married her first love, George W. Watson, at the age of 17. George was a military man and Marian joined him as he was transferred around the country during World War II.

In 1944, she moved to Washington, DC and started her government career working at the Civil Service Commission. She moved on to the Veterans Administration in 1948 and by 1954 she was at the Small Business Administration, where she supervised the publications department for the Minority Small Business Program until her retirement.

As she built her career, she also built a life for herself and her two children, Stephen and Madeline. After being widowed, she bought and remodeled their “forever home” in 1960. She married a second time to Arnold Byers in 1962 and had her third child, David. Family was immensely important to her; she stayed close to her sisters, who both lived within walking distance, and took vacations with her family to Virginia Beach in the summer. A devout Catholic, she taught Sunday school and was a member of the Sodality of Our Lady at her church home, Saint Francis De Sales, where she attended mass until her health would no longer permit it.

After her government retirement she consulted for Watson-Rice, a prestigious CPA firm in their public relations department and started a minority business networking organization: The National Association of Minority Enterprises (N.A.M.E.), headquartered in the National Press Building. Marian created a local newsletter and was active in community and civic affairs: running for Advisory Neighborhood Commission. Marian also handled public relations for an artist group, The Message Makers, a group of women poets; Fabric Sculpture, a fashion modeling group and the RIP, a theater company.

She was president of the International Training and Communications (ITC), VP of the Washington Women’s Forum and the African-American Writers Guild. She loved to travel and attend conferences held by the National Newspaper Publishers Association around the country.

She fulfilled her life ambitions by graduating from Trinity College School of Professional Studies with a B.A. in Communications at 68. She authored a compilation of poetry “Evergreen Leaves” at the age of 86. Marion’s life has always been full of accomplishments, devotion to God and love for her family. Inspired by her son David,

her mission in life was to make a better world for the children, something she advocated daily.

After a blessed 101 years, she leaves to mourn in her absence: her children Madeline Watson, Stephen Watson and his wife Sandra,her granddaughter Serena Watson and her husband George Yarboi. Her niece and nephew Joan McGoy and Wayne Robinson, her cousin Shirley Gillium. Two great nieces, five great nephews, three great grandchildren, and 3 great great children.

She is preceded in death by her parents Victoria and Leon Whitaker, sisters Audrey Watson and Geraldine Robinson, her brother Leon Whitaker, Jr., her first husband George Watson, her second husband Arnold Byers, her son David Byers and her grandson Stephen (Tony) Watson.

She’s not really gone if we remember her strength, her vision and her moral compass.

Her Lord said to her, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” ~Matthew 25:21