Marie Ann Kish died peacefully on Sunday, December 7th, at the age of 94. She is survived by her daughter, Diane Anderson; her son, Bill Kish Jr.; and her six beloved grandchildren: Katherine, Will, Ethan, Samantha, Jaclyn, and Jayda. She was predeceased by her husband, Bill Kish, who died in 1993.
Marie was born in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Michigan State University—forever proud to be a Spartan. She spent most of her adult life in Chappaqua, New York, where she built a rich and meaningful life rooted in education, community, and curiosity about the world.
A dedicated middle school English teacher, Marie poured her love of literature into decades of students, inspiring many to discover the power of story and language. Outside the classroom, she found great joy in reading both novels and The New York Times, venturing into New York City with friends to enjoy wonderful meals, Broadway shows, and evenings at Carnegie Hall. She treasured her church community at the First Congregational Church of Chappaqua, enjoyed many years of golf at Whippoorwill Country Club, and embraced opportunities for worldwide travel.
Most of all, Marie cherished time with her grandchildren, whom she adored. She believed deeply in giving back and devoted many hours to volunteerism in her community, as well as to political activism in support of progressive causes that mattered deeply to her.
Marie’s life was marked by intellect, vitality, and a deep commitment to the people and causes she cared about. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.
A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Chappaqua on Saturday, January 17th, at 1:00 p.m. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marie’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or the Theater Development Fund (www.tdf.org).