Estella Beatrice Wilson Marshall McDonald
Was it coincidence or was it fate that enabled Estella Beatrice Wilson Marshall McDonald, matriarch of the southern Clarion County Wilson and Marshall clans, to choose a 9:27 p.m. departure out of Clarview Nursing Home on Sunday to join her beloved first husband, Walter Scott Marshall, in their celestial abode, on their 76th wedding anniversary?
Mom, Grandma Bea, Aunt Bea or Bea, as she was lovingly known to her multitude of family and friends, left behind a legacy of wit and wisdom. Mentally astute but physically frail until the day of her departure, she was not one to hold back “guidance” on behavioral correctness for those who strayed from her perception of the way things “should be” in language, manners, posture or decorum. Bea's position as the head of her family and schoolmarm always remained constant.
Born the first “pride and joy” of Ford and Martha (Shoemaker) Wilson on June 2, 1909, in East Brady, this centenarian actively celebrated her 103rd year earlier in June with a host of family in attendance.
She was preceded in earlier departures, not only by her parents, but by seven of eight full siblings, Edgar, George, James, Phillip, Lois, Loretta and Pricilla; eight of nine brothers and sisters-in-law, James, June, Clara, Ella, Jenny, Bill, Stephen and Gloria; two husbands, Walter S. Marshall and Robert R. McDonald; a son, Walter Wilson Marshall; and a few nephews and nieces.
She leaves, at the station, a daughter, Martha Marie Regan of Tucson, Ariz., and a son, Clifton Eugene Marshall (Charlotte) of Ostrander, Ohio. Additionally surviving are her brother, Ernest Wilson; a brother-in-law, Daniel Chupinsky; nine grandchildren, Vickey (Charles) Ramsey, Jeff Marshall, Cheryl Henry, Doug (Gina) Marshall and Kimberly (David) Mohnkern, all of Pennsylvania, Shawn (Cheryl) Marshall of Tennessee, Laura Regan of Arizona, Christopher (Suzi) Marshall of California and C. Eric Marshall of Texas; 13 great-grand- children; two and one-half great-great-grandchildren to date; and about 35 to 40 nieces and nephews.
Being full of gumption, vim and vigor, Bea came by her matriarchal status honestly by assisting in the raising of her brothers and sisters, teaching multiple grades in several one-room schools (Upper Hillville, Conneration, Phillipston and Sandy Hollow) early in her professional career and tending to nearly 40 first cousins until the end. In the Roaring '20s and the depressed '30s, she graduated from East Brady High and Clarion Normal schools. Her last teaching school was in Widnoon, where she maintained scholastic decorum of three pre-teen grades in one room until 1960. She also assisted her husband, Walter, on the farm, feeding threshers, hoeing gardens, gathering eggs, forking hay, milking cows, churning butter and picking fruits and vegetables.
Bea was active in several community organizations including the Squirrel Hill Grange, Order of the Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary, Church Women United and the Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, where she sang in the choir, participated in multiple missionary meetings and taught several generations in many a Sunday school class.
Her retirement years took her to Florida, California, New York, Arizona and finally “home” to her beautiful and favorite Penn's Woods in 2011. Functional to a fault, her favorite hobby was quilting. Additionally she was the clans' primary genealogist.
MCDONALD — Estella Beatrice Wilson Marshall McDonald died Sunday, June 17, 2012. A celebration of Bea's life, which spanned more than a century from horse-drawn plows, buggies and trains to inner-planetary celestial travel and scientific achievements which have allowed “centenarianism” to be commonplace, will be at the Oakwood Presbyterian Church, 9296 Curllsville Road, New Bethlehem, Pa., on Saturday, June 30, 2012, starting at 11 a.m.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions to her faithful Oakwood Presbyterian Church would be appreciated.VARNER FUNERAL HOME of Rimersburg is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.varnerfuneralhome.com.
