Marilyn Ruth Marner Emmert, age 87, of Greenville, DE, passed away on October 12 after an extended illness. Born in 1930 in Iowa City, IA to the late Ray E. and Mildred Grace Means Marner, she grew up on farms near Iowa City.
Her education began in a one-room schoolhouse for grades 1-8, later graduating from Iowa City High School where she met her husband-to-be, Richard (Dick) Emmert. She served as secretary to the chairman of the Department of History at the University of Iowa until she and Dick moved to Delaware in 1951. There she worked as secretary in DuPont’s Stine Laboratory until her husband’s military service took them to Alabama, taking along their infant daughter Debra. A second daughter, Andrea, was born in Alabama, and the third, Lisa, in Wilmington, DE.
Marilyn was a marvelous mother and homemaker throughout her children’s formative years, establishing and nourishing households in Seaford, DE, Martinsville, VA, and northern Delaware as her husband was transferred among DuPont locations.
When her youngest daughter reached high school, Marilyn resumed college work to prepare for service as a nurse, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Honors from the University of Delaware in 1976. Despite the late start, she worked 25 years, first in UD student Health, then at the Blood Bank of Delaware, then as a surgical nurse with Dr. Peter Martin, and later as an office nurse with Dr. Alan Warrington.
For many years, Marilyn enjoyed time at the Jersey shore, where the family’s house in Avalon became a gathering place for her grandkids. She loved books, music, and art and was passionate about gardening.
Marilyn is preceded in death by her brothers, William P. Marner and Gene R. Marner, by sister-in-law Bernice Marner, and by brother-in-law, James L. Kacena.
Marilyn is Survived by her husband of 69 years, Richard E. Emmert, her daughters, Debra Warrington (Alan), Andrea Mazzuca (Douglas), and Lisa Grant (Gary); her sister, Carolyn Kacena and sister-in-law Carol Marner; 13 grandchildren, Jennifer Fletcher, Douglas Mazzuca, Jr., Danielle Harris, Nicholas Mazzuca, Parrish Warrington, Miranda Wood, Tyler Warrington, Katherine Grant, Beau Warrington, Alexander Mazzuca, Lucas Grant, Deborah Kucera, and Tamara Ganc; eight great grandchildren, Grace Fletcher, Abigail Fletcher, Scarlett Fletcher, Wesley Mazzuca, Annabelle Mazzuca, Danielle Kucera, Jacob Kucera, and Sydney Ganc.
Marilyn was a force in nurturing the lives of all her surviving family and will be sorely missed.
The family wishes to express their gratitude to the nurses and staff of the Stonegates Health Center for their highly professional and extraordinarily loving care over the last several years.
A visitation will be held at 11:00 AM – 12 noon, Saturday, November 3 at the Chandler Funeral Home at 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE. A luncheon reception will follow at 12:30 PM at Stonegates Retirement Community, 4031 Kennett Pike, Greenville, DE. All are invited.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to a charity of your choice.
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