Obituary of Marianne K. Margrave

It is with great sadness that the family of Marianne K. Margrave announces her sudden passing on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at the age of 75 years. Marianne will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 45 years, Tom and her children, Thomas and Alexander Margrave and Veronica (Bill) Gorman. Marianne will also be fondly remembered by her five grandchildren, Sterling, Billy, Johnny, Bennett and Madeline, by her siblings Mark Krieger and Michele (Rick) Moss, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. Marianne was predeceased by her parents, Wallace and Veronica Krieger, and her older sister, Patricia Schwinn. She was born in Burlington, Vermont and grew up in Buffalo, New York, on Minnesota Avenue. She attended Catholic school and graduated from the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart and from Rosary Hill College (now called Daemen College) in Williamsville, New York with a degree in Fine Arts. She received her Masters' degree in Art History from the State University of New York College at New Paltz. Marianne's commitment to kindness and education led her to a lifetime of teaching including West Point Elementary School, as West Point was where she met, fell in love, and married her husband. It was with absolute dedication to her marriage and family that she happily traveled and taught various grades and subjects in Gelnhausen, Germany, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Honolulu, Hawaii, Islamabad, Pakistan, New Haven, Connecticut, Sidney, New York and Whitney Point, New York, where she retired as a high school art teacher. She made sure every one of her students knew they were unique, loved, and wonderful just as they were. Marianne's life was devoted to the service of others, rooted in a strong Christian faith. She was an energetic Girl Scout leader and never missed a single sporting event for her children. You could easily find her creating notes for the 'Feeding Our Neighbors' free lunch program at Grace and Holy Spirit when the Cortland Loaves and Fishes is temporarily closed just as you could find her decorating a cake at 3:00 a.m. to donate to a child with a terminal illness. If you were lucky enough to know her, you knew her gifts to this world were too numerous to list. Marianne lived her life through action, not words. When she became a grandmother, she found her true calling. The pride she had in her grandchildren was evident in the cake creations she made for each of their birthdays, the adventures they went on, the traditions they honored, and the jokes that only they and she shared and knew. She enriched their lives with a vocabulary that went beyond words and painted their lives with pure joy. Public calling hours are Friday, August 7, 2020, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home Inc., 9 Lincoln Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045. We will be following NYS guidelines regarding capacity, social distancing, and wearing face coverings. Private services for the immediate family with be at 6:00 p.m. streamed online, https://m.facebook.com/wrightbeardfuneralhomeinc. Burial will be held at a later time at the West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York as will a public memorial service to be held at Grace and Holy Spirit Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Arts at Grace or Feeding Our Neighbors, Grace and Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 13 Court Street, Cortland, NY 13045. To offer online condolences, visit www.wright-beard.com As an art teacher, Marianne lived her life in color, so please consider wearing something bright to her calling hours.