Marcella M."Marcie" Kellander, of State College, died Monday, January 24, 2011 at Centre Crest in Bellefonte.
She was born April 14, 1920, at Clarence, PA, a daughter of the late Delbert S. and Fannie, Chambers Gillette.
On October 10, 1936, she married Ernest D. Kellander Sr. who preceded her in death November 14, 1997.
She is survived by two daughters Sherri Seybold and her husband Eugene of Pine Glen and Patricia Grier and her husband John of Woburn, MA; two sons, Ernest D. Kellander Jr. and his wife Cindy of Pleasant Gap and LeRoy Kellander and his wife Bonnie of Norristown, twelve grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren and seven great great grandchildren.
Mrs. Kellander was a homemaker and enjoyed crocheting, crafts, and playing cards and games with her friends while making her home at Rolling Ridge Apartments.
Marcella was a member of Pine Hall Lutheran Church at State College, and a member of the Auxiliary of American Legion Post 245 at State College. She also was the only resident of Centre Crest to join the Centre Crest Auxiliary.
Friends will be received from 1- 3 PM Friday, January 28, 2011 at Mark D. Heintzelman Funeral and Cremation Service, P. C. 1034 Benner Pike, State College, PA. The funeral will follow immediately 3:00 PM at the funeral home with the Reverend Susan Williamson officiating. Entombment will be in Centre County Memorial Park, 1032 Benner Pike, State College, at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Centre Crest Auxiliary, 502 E. Howard Street, Bellefonte, PA or the Pine Hall Lutheran Church, 1760 West College Avenue, State College, PA 16801
A guest book can be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com
My name is John Grier and I am the husband of Marcy's oldest daughter Pat. I am honored to be asked to say a few words about Marcella, Marcie, Mam Mam She was Mam Mam to me for over 50 years, my very good friend and a center of our families.
She was born in 1920 in time to live through the Great Depression from a beginning at Kato and #10 that was already in its own depression. The only girl with 8 brothers. She didn't get much sympathy I'll tell you and was charged with being the second mother in the family. She didn't have a store bought dress until she left home and she quit school as a sophomore because of comments made by others about her clothes.
Married to Ernest Kellander in 1936 for 60 years. He was still working part time at the CCC camp. She stood by him and was his helpmate in everything he did through their entire married life. She keep up the home front when Scotty joined the Navy and took in laundry cleaned homes and was creative about getting food for her family like the goats milk from Mrs Loshe down the road. Five of her brothers and husband fought in WWII and some saw the absolute worst of it and came back alive. Her and her family are what many people think of as the backbone of America. After the war, she supported Scotty at the Snow Shoe Supply. They moved to Lock Haven where she worked at the Hospital, at their Sputnik Sandwich Shop in Lock Haven, and was a seamstress at the Arrow shirt Factory. She helped him at Ernie's meat market and Ernie's bar. Her personal ethic was of honesty, hard work, non indulgence, seldom a harsh word, she was sympathetic, non critical and non judgmental.
There are some people that are gifted to let people feel at ease and of interest and importance. How many of you know someone who is absolutely a zero stress person? A person who never has anything bad to say, no political agenda, never pretensions or manipulative just wants to talk, have some good food and play cards go for a car ride say to Yost Ridge maybe, do a little fishing. go to a birthday party or Halloween party. Everyone was treated the same by her. If you were her kids or kids-in-law you wouldn't know the difference. To know Mam Mam was to love her.
Now any kind of gimmick was for her. If she could find a talking salt shaker or a talking clock or cow coffee creamer she would get it. She had a mechanical Santa doll that wiggles at the hips and little boy water fountain with water coming from vital places. Her night light in the living room would shift through the entire visible spectrum. There would be a pen on the table that wrote in four different colors.
She loved jewelry and Bingo to embroider and crochet and do crafts like Table cloths, afghans and dolls. Even more, she loved to give them away. I have a note from "Karen" that typifies how so many felt about her.
"My friend Marcie,
Thank you for the beautiful doilies for Christmas. I sincerely appreciate you thoughtfulness. Even more so I enjoy and value our friendship. You are such an inspiration to me.
Sincerely, Karen"
I think she lived 90 years because she saw each day as a gift and really made the best that she could of it.
If something tickled her she had a special laugh and smile. You could say Mam Mam are you dealing off the bottom of the deck again? She would just light up and deny it profusely and be laughing all the time. Thank you God for our memories.
Dear Lord we pray thee bring her up to you and welcome this special lady to your wonderful presence. Amen.