Nellie Wallace Schafer Marsh, 88

DOVER - Early on Christmas morning, Nellie Wallace Schafer Marsh of Dover slipped peacefully out of this life to rejoice with her brothers and sisters in heaven. She was 88.

Born June 9, 1919, in Dover, she was the daughter of Herman and Florence (Boggs) Wallace and the youngest of seven brothers and sisters, Henry Wallace, Samuel Wallace, Ellen Collins, Mary Jarrell, Hannah Lurty and Evelyn Beckford, all of whom are deceased.

Nell attended John Bassett Moore High School in Smyrna and followed her sisters to the Women's College of University of Delaware.

Her long teaching career began at Dover Elementary School.

In 1948, Nell married Arthur Virdin Schafer at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Smyrna and moved to the Philadelphia area.

She lived for many years in Wynnewood, Pa., and was a second grade teacher at Penn Wynne School in Upper Merion Township.

Her lifelong interest in teaching and learning led her to take a sabbatical in the midst of her teaching career to move to New York to earn her Master's Degree in Education at Columbia University.

After Nell retired from teaching, she was a volunteer for many years at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood.

She was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and later of St. James United Church of Christ in Havertown.

After she retired, she moved to Beaumont in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and four years ago back to Dover, to live with her niece, Gail Allen and Gail's husband, Jack.

Nell loved to travel and was an avid bridge player and crossword aficionado.

Every Christmas, she received many cards from around the world from former students who credited her with helping them to start their journey to academic and career success in her classroom.

She will be missed by her family and friends, and the students she taught to love learning as she did.

In addition to her brothers and sisters, she was also predeceased by her husbands, Arthur Virdin Schafer and Ralph Windsor Marsh; and one step-grandchild.

She is survived by a stepson, Ralph W. Marsh; five nieces, Barbara Bilbrough, Gail Allen, Pamela Taylor, Ellen Hamilton and Bonnie Wagman; one nephew, David Lurty; numerous great-nieces and nephews; one step-grandchild; two step-great-grandchildren; and numerous friends and adoring former students.

A celebration of her life will be 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 5, in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 22 North Union Street, Smyrna.

Interment of ashes will follow at St. George's Cemetery.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made to St. Peter's Church.

Arrangements by Faries Funeral Directors and Crematorium Inc., Smyrna.