Obituary: Mclellan, Marion M. (Nee Bishop - 1917)
Age 96
Marion McLellan died peacefully at her home in the Evergreen Fountains Retirement Home in Spokane Valley, Washington on December 25, 2013 at the age of 96.
She has gone to rejoin the love of her life, Bill, her husband of 42 years and to dance again with him for eternity.
Marion was born on the family homestead at Excel, Alberta, Canada on October 20, 1917, the eldest daughter of Clinton and Laura Bishop and the second of five children.
She was predeceased by her husband, her parents and her four siblings.
She is survived by her three children, Margot Stanfield (Irven) of Spokane, Gregory McLellan (Mary) of Richland, and Jill Lane (Doug) of Edmonton, Alberta; six grandchildren, Laura Calderon (Rob) of Chapel Hill, NC, Gregory Stanfield (Michelle) of Virginia Beach, VA, Scott McLellan (Caryn) of Richland, WA, Nicole Janssen (Cory) of Edmonton, AB, Jenny Lang (Ryan) of Richland, WA and John Kelly (Sara) of Toronto, ON; and 10 great-grandchildren, Connor, Kylie, Roslyn, Chloe, Evyn, Kaylee, Cole, Logan, Kian and Kaitlin.
Mom always felt that teaching was her destiny, and she loved it.
At age 19, in a one-room school house at Butte Vale, Alberta, she began a teaching career that spanned nearly 50 years.
In all, she taught grades kindergarten through 12, and served her last 16 years as a teacher and reading specialist in the Central Valley School District in the Spokane Valley.
During World War II she took a two-year leave from teaching to serve the Canadian Department of Transportation scanning the airways for enemy submarine messages.
She was proficient in both Morse and Kana Codes and on May 7, 1945, she listened to Admiral Donetz make his surrender speech to all German units at sea.
In addition to teaching, Mom’s zest for living included world-wide travel, golf, cross-country skiing, reading, gardening and hosting summer camp at the lake for her six grandchildren.
In retirement she also wrote and published a book “Memories of a Prairie Flower,” a wonderful gift to her family.
To the end, Marion’s sense of humor and quick wit touched the hearts of all those she met, winning her a special place in the hearts of the staff and “vacationers of the resort” (her description of her fellow seniors) at Evergreen Fountains.
The family are very appreciative of the superb care and attention that she received at Evergreen Fountains where she spent the last four years.
We are especially grateful for her many friends who visited often and added joy and contentment to her life as she completed the “back nine”.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2014 in Spokane when all family members and friends can attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to Marion’s church of 52 years, Church of the Resurrection (Episcopal), 15319 E. 8th Avenue, Spokane Valley, WA 99037 or the charity of your choice.
So long Mom…