Marian Farrah Petzy

LAWRENCE — After battling cancer since July of 2007, Marian Farrah Petzy died at home on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008. She was 75.

Born in Lawrence on July 22, 1932, Marian grew up in the Plains section of the city. She attended public grammar schools and one of her favorite memories was of singing in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas at the Tarbox School.

After graduating from Lawrence High School in 1950, Marian worked in the local shoe mills.

Married in 1956, she stayed at home while her children were growing up and became a teacher's aide at the Hennessey School in 1970. In subsequent years, Marian worked at Raytheon and the Internal Revenue Service. She also worked at Macy's, which she particularly enjoyed because it gave her opportunity to see many of her Merrimack Valley friends as they shopped. It also allowed her to keep a watchful eye on prices for things which she constantly bought for her family.

Marian was well-known to her family and friends as a person of great creativity, strong independence, and enormous hospitality. In addition to sewing, knitting, and crocheting, Marian enjoyed taking classes in ceramics, pottery, and cake decorating. For many years she created stained-glass suncatchers, windows, and lamps, many of which she happily gave as gifts to family and friends. Marian took pride in caring for herself and her home and never wanted to be a burden to others. She didn't learn to drive until 1983, and once she did, she drove herself all over New England. She painted the interior and exterior of her house, mowed her lawn, shoveled snow, and cultivated beautiful gardens which always produced prolific amount of flowers. Marian's home was the gathering place for holiday feasts, parties, and impromptu gatherings and she was the happiest when it was filled with family and friends, eating her eggplant lasagna, chicken pot pie, and delicious pastries. Before serving food, Marian often said, "Oh, I hope it's good," and her family would remind her she had been unsuccessful in the kitchen only twice in her entire life: making hot-cross buns in 1983 and applesauce brownies in 1995. She always laughed about that.

Marian delighted in her family and was especially devoted to her grandchildren, Olivia and Luke. She attended countless sporting events and band concerts, choral recitals and musicals and was proud of her grandchildren's accomplishments. Marian enjoyed traveling to Pittsburgh where Olivia is a college senior to see her perform in plays and musicals. When Olivia became engaged to Richard Binning on Dec. 29, 2007, Marian was so pleased. She had looked forward to visiting Luke in Nashville where he is a college freshman. Marian invented Sitho kisses for her grandchildren, and they will miss them so much.

In addition to her grandchildren, Marian is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Thomas and Jayne Petzy of Methuen; her daughter, Carrie Petzy of Lawrence; and her son, Paul Petzy of New York. She also leaves her sisters, Jane Nader of Naples, Fla., Helen Abdo and Irene Farrah of Lawrence, and Elizabeth Picard and her husband Richard of Andover. Marian's family also included many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The Petzy family would like to acknowledge the nursing staff at Lawrence General Hospital, Commonwealth Oncology, Home Health VNA and, most especially, Merrimack Valley Hospice, for their compassionate caring for Marian during her illness.

Marian never wanted others to take care of her, yet she always thought of others first and made sure everyone's needs were met. Her family cherished her and she will be sorely missed.

ARRANGEMENTS: A funeral service will be said in her name on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Melkite Church in Lawrence. Burial will take place at a later date. Friends may call on Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the John Breen Memorial Funeral Home Inc., 122 Amesbury St., Lawrence, MA 01841 for more information or to send online condolences go to www.breenfuneralhome.com. Memorials contributions can be made in Marian's name to Merrimack Valley Hospice, 360 Merrimack St., Building #9, Lawrence, MA 01843 or online for the Boston Breast Cancer Walk at www.the3day.org under Carrie Petzy's Name.