Marion Lee Elizabeth Rose Abbitt

ABBITT, Marion Lee Elizabeth Rose Abbitt of Williamsburg, known for her love of plants, landscape and floral design, and her generosity in sharing her knowledge, died at home on August 18, 2008 surrounded by her family. She was 92. She had a passion for all things, flora and fauna. With over an acre of special plantings and garden designs, her gardens received the first certification in Williamsburg as a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Marion also won the Mayor's first Civic Beautification Award for a private garden in 2005. She will be remembered for her eagerness to teach and to share her gardens with visitors, sending them on their way with cuttings and plants. A noted floral arranger, she traveled throughout the United States for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, delivering lectures and floral design demonstrations. Her association with Colonial Williamsburg spanned two decades where she also worked as an enthusiastic tour guide, interpreting history, architecture, and colonial garden design and plants, and delighting both school groups and adults alike, including such notables as I.M. Pei and Jacob Javitts. She was a board member and past president of Colonial Capitol Branch, Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, a member and past president of The Williamsburg Garden Club, The Garden Club of Virginia. Marion was a devoted communicant of Bruton Parish Church, where she served as guide on the Altar Guild and the Pastoral Care Committee, and was in the Order of Daughters of the King. Born in Richmond, Va. on June 17, 1916, the daughter of Marion Spurgeon Rose and Norma Beveridge Rose, she attended The College of William & Mary where she was a member of Chi Omega. She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew White Abbitt; a son, Andrew; a grandson, Andrew Bridger Outlaw; a son-in-law, E. Stevens Dix; and her two sisters, Norma Beveridge Stoneburner, and Evelyn Norwood Inman. Marion is survived by three sons of Richmond, Va., William Spurgeon Abbitt and wife, Priscilla, Andrew White Abbitt II and wife, Alison, and James Carter Abbitt and wife, Karen. She has four daughters, Sally Godwin Kennedy and husband, Thomas of Racine, Wis., Ann Dix Hohenberger and husband, Marvin of Ware Neck, Va., Merry Webb Outlaw and husband, Alain of Williamsburg, and Elizabeth Rose Abbitt of San Diego, Calif. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Seabury D. Stoneburner of Jacksonville, Fla., and many nieces and nephews; and special friends, Morris Canady and Stacy Lewis. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Bruton Parish Church on Friday, August 22, 2008 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bruton Parish Church, P.O. Box BP, Williamsburg, Va. 23187, Riverside Hospice, 12420 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Va. 23606, or your favorite charity. A private burial will take place in Cedar Grove Cemetery. Bucktrout of Williamsburg is in charge of the arrangements.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.