Marion Meer Smith Leahy died at Van Duyn Home on Jan. 20 surrounded by family.

Ms. Leahy was born in New York City, then moved to Spring Lake, NJ. She attended grammar school first in the basement of St. Margaret’s Church and then St. Catherine’s Grammar School both in Spring Lake, Manasquan High School and Traphagen School of Fashion in Manhattan, where she studied illustration.

She graduated during World War II, when there wasn’t any work in her field. Instead, she went to work at Fort Monmouth in the base’s finance office. After the war she went to work for the Kenny Press in Newark.

She married her high school sweetheart William Duncan Leahy at St. Catherine’s Church in Spring Lake, NJ on Nov. 29, 1948. They settled in Newark, NJ and started a family.

In 1969, the family was transferred to Massachusetts, where they made their home at 416 Washington Street in Duxbury.

While renovating their house under historic preservation guidelines, she was also a card carrying member of the Duxbury Free Library, a member of the Gourmet Club, a Duplicate Bridge Club and a guide at the historic King Caesar House (Clipper ship builder). While in Duxbury, she took up golf and candlepin bowling.

In 1972, the couple were again transferred, this time to Skaneateles, NY. She worked retail during the Christmas season at Sibley’s Department Store, Syracuse, at the Bookie (bookstore) in Skaneateles and as the bread lady at several farmer’s markets. She also developed a line of flavored cheesecakes, called Mother Leahy’s Cheesecakes that were carried in several of Syracuse’s busiest restaurants in the 1970s and 80s.

Early in the 21st century, Marion was diagnosed with an inoperable aneurism in the front right lobe of her brain that wreaked havoc on her brain’s processing. Shortly before her death, she entered Van Duyn.

In addition to her husband of 63 years, she leaves her daughter, Ellen Leahy;  her four sons, who are scattered around the United States, William D. Leahy Jr. (Jacqueline) in Georgia, Michael P. Leahy (Vicki) in Arizona, Timothy J. Leahy (Carolyn) in Oregon and Stephen J. Leahy (Shawn) in Rhode Island; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as many friends, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of her life is planned for this spring in Skaneateles, with a separate memorial service planned on the Jersey Shore this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Skaneateles Library, Seymour Library in Auburn or SAVES Ambulance Service in Skaneateles.