It's with a great deal of sadness to hear about Marda. Her husband, John, said that she died of pulmonary complications at Grandview Hospital. She had been in the hospital for a week when the end came. He said that in accordance with her wishes, there would be no funeral or memorial services.

Please keep John in your thoughts too. She has had a long, hard road to travel. Her journey is over.

I was fortunate enough to have met both Marda and John. They were GOOD people to know.

I just got on, Lilo to share the news. Thank you for doing so. Marda was a special person. She understood the importance of each day, each friendship and it was a priviledge to have known her well and called her friend for many years. She lifted other people up, celebrated their successes and soothed their failures. She loved all living things and considered them precious. Her life was filled with simple pleasures, like awakening early and enjoying her newspapers and coffee as the birds were singing. Her gardens reflected her love of life. She was amazingly grounded and wise. Everyone who has been at the GP for any length of time will remember her with love. Everything she touched was the better for it.

Thank you for letting us know. She will be missed. Please let her family know we are thinking of them.

Lisa

I'm sorry.......I heard from another and came here also ...sort of as a gathering of friends when someone dies.
She was one of the old timers and will certainly be missed.
Linda C

Thanks for letting us know. I always looked forward to her posts. She seemed so connected with everybody, I know I miss her. Please let her family know that we think of them and Marda.

She will be missed, such a great person and gentle soul. Marda was forever maintaining the dignity level of this forum except when her Grinch came out for football season. Good thoughts to her husband John, brother Mike and her family.

I feel like someone just slammed their fist in my heart.

Oh, this is such sad news. Marda was such a joy, always interesting, thoughtful and so reasonable. From my first visits here, back in the very early days, she shone out as someone whose posts were always worth reading.
We exchanged a few emails over the years when Marda had her curiosity piqued about some anglicism - most memorably about the description of a bra style she'd come across in an article (a 'balcony' bra) and she wanted to know what it was - her laughter came over the 'net so clearly.

I will miss her very much. My heart goes out to all her family, for whom this must be incredibly difficult. I can't imagine how hard it is for them.

Sending caring thoughts for her family.

I heard the news from John this morning and asked Lilo to post the news. But look at all the folks here who were also on John's list--says to me that Marda was still a central part of this party even after some of us had left.

I will miss her so much--we used to meet at Peddler's Village and eat a super lunch and then shop for shoes and pants and jewelry and all kinds of good stuff. I don't know why, but the earrings I put on this morning was the pair I bought last time I was with her at this nifty gallery of handmade stuff we always loved.

Marda is one of the most wonderful women who ever frequented this party.

This is the legacy we leave....

And one we should all strive to have...

The best wishes, and the missing, and the joy to have known.

Well done, Marda - Well done!

She faced this illness with such courage. RIP dear lady.

I don't post often but do read the party daily.Everything Marda wrote was entertaining and worth reading. I will miss her too and had noticed she was not as active.

this news hurts.

So sorry to hear this R.I.P. Marda.

Janis made the sstatement I am feeling I will miss her but remember her with joy.

Godspeed, Miss Marda, you will be forever missed.

I am so sorry to learn of Marda's passing. My prayers, thoughts, and sympathy are with her husband and family.

What else is there to say? Marda, you will be missed.

My condolences to her family and friends. She was a true example that one can be a Lady at all times, in person and on-line, and even during football.

I will miss her beyond words.

I just got the news this morning, an email from Marda's sister-in-law.

I grieve the loss of this good friend. Even though we never met Marda and I still kept in touch after I stopped posting here. I hold her in my heart always.

Peace, Marda.

Marda was one of those people that make the world a better place. She will be missed by many. My condolences to her family and all who cared about her.

Sad news. I remember Marda from way back, and had the pleasure of meeting her at one of the Chicago get Togethers. The world just lost a lot of good that was in it and we are the better for knowing her.

just tears. (((John))) I am so sad to hear this. My life was better having known her. I can see her in her purple chair surrounded by roses. Thank you for letting me know Lilo.

Janet Menke from MD, Kim Stark (FirstKim), and I are getting together on Sunday afternoon at my house to share sunflowers and lay a little stone in my garden in honor of Marda. If you live in the Philadelphia area and want to join us, please contact me for an address and phone number.

My thoughts and my heart will be there with you all Pidge.

I haven't checked in to the party for a few months and this is the first thing I see. So sorry and my prayers go out to her family.

Say a blessing from me, Pidge.
Batya

How kind of you Pidge

Pidge, in my thoughts I will be with you and say a prayer.

I'm very sorry to hear this.

My best wishes to John and all of Marda's family and friends.

Don and Missy broke the news to me just a short time ago tonight and I thank them both for telling me...and thank you Lilo, for this little spot to come together and remember her.

Marda was always the one to make newcomers feel really welcome and it as though she'd even pulled up a chair for them to sit in as they got to know everyone here at the Party.

Whenever there was a fracas going on, it was her voice that always spoke with clarity and fairness.

She enjoyed others' achievements and happy times and cared for those in painful situations, whether it was
health-related or turmoil.

My old friend Ron, and I met Marda and John for dinner one night. The food was good, the company was great and the laughter was hilarious. I will never forget how she laughed and joked, yet she was still wise, wise Marda.

That's how I most remember her----she was the wisest woman I've ever met.

---and her eyes sparkled.

I usually at least read the Party every few days, but I had a feeling and haven't been here in more than a week. Tonight I knew I had to face the news. This makes me so very sad. Christy and my sincere condolences to John and her family.

As usual KJ's way with words is perfect. "That's how I most remember her----she was the wisest woman I've ever met.

---and her eyes sparkled."

I can still see her sitting at the Hillbilly Reunion, watching, smiling and adding her great sense of humor to the mix. People don't get any better than Marda. Her way of dealing with her illness was so very much her way. Her emails saying she just preferred to deal as it came and not obsess over it for as long as she could. She helped everyone around her who worried for her, able to deal a little better with the thought of losing her.

So many lovely fond memories. She taught a whole generation of Partiers how to do html. And if it wasn't for her we'd probably still have threads with music when you opened them and crazy backgrounds crashing peoples computers. She always came to the aid of anyone that wanted to learn, repeating endlessly the same lessons.

She taught me much about so many things, not the least of which was to give people a chance, whether you had preconceived notions of how they were going to be. She was so accepting of so many diverse people, including me. She stuck up for me on more than one occasion.

Thank you Pidge for offering to let others join you Sunday. We have our family reunion, otherwise I'd try to come over.

It's going to be hard telling Christy this sad news. Marda was so sweet to Christy. You'll be forever missed Dear Friend.

RIP Marda