Marilyn Frances DiSpirito

Marilyn Frances DiSpirito of Slippery Rock gently ascended to heaven on April 12 at Grove City Medical Center in Grove City.

Marilyn was born Dec. 9, 1932, in Oklahoma City, Okla., to Arthur Muegge Sr. and Hazel Ozmun Muegge.

She married Robert G. DiSpirito Sr. on July 4, 1958, in Woonsocket, R.I. They were married for over 57 years, residing nearly 50 years in Slippery Rock.

Marilyn was raised in Chickasha, Okla. She graduated from Chickasha High School in 1950, and was a 1954 graduate of the Oklahoma College for Women, where she trained to be a teacher.

Following a brief stint teaching in New Mexico, Marilyn and a girlfriend struck out for New York City, where she took a teaching job at the Barnard School for Boys.

Having taken dancing lessons during her youth, Marilyn formally studied dance in New York City under famed American dancer Martha Graham.

It was at the Barnard School that she met her future husband, Robert (Bob) DiSpirito, who also taught there while pursuing a graduate degree at Columbia University. Bob had already embarked on a career as a collegiate head football and baseball coach, and Marilyn was to become his biggest fan.

Marilyn and Bob settled in Bridgeport, Conn., when Bob was made head coach at the university. Here, they had four children, Robert Jr., James, David and Diane.

The family briefly lived in Stratford. Next was Lewisburg, Pa., where Bob coached at Bucknell and Marilyn coached four toddlers. Finally, Bob became head football coach at Slippery Rock State College in 1967, where, with incredible support from Marilyn, “Coach D” led his teams to great successes for 15 years, retiring as a tenured professor in 1998.

During this time, Marilyn taught English at Slippery Rock High School and Slippery Rock Middle School for 17 years, and with Bob, welcomed their daughter, Lisa. She earned a master's degree equivalency in English from Slippery Rock University, and retired from teaching in 1995.

In retirement, Marilyn played frequent hostess to visiting family, traveled with Bob, and for years, enjoyed their winter home in Cocoa, Fla.

Marilyn was a beloved teacher of many hundreds of young people, sometimes instructing the children of former students of hers.

She was a voracious reader, devouring scores of books every year on a wide variety of topics. This largely accounts for her becoming a lifelong ace with Scrabble, tough crossword puzzles and trivia. Few dared to tangle with her!

Marilyn also had a wonderful and ever-present sense of humor, loved to laugh, and could tell a good pun. Her bright smile and sweet voice literally illuminated every room she graced.

For more than 50 years, Marilyn was an active parishioner of St. Peter Catholic Church in Slippery Rock, where she harbored a deep religious faith, taught Sunday school and volunteered.

Marilyn was selfless to a fault, hard-working, generous and considerate in every way, graceful as the dancer she was, relentlessly upbeat, never complaining about anything, and was a total pleasure to be near.

She could equally play the piano well and throw a baseball with her boys.

Marilyn was a gentle and kind soul, devoted to the family she created, and who taught all of us life lessons by her words and deeds. She was strikingly beautiful inside and out, and a better wife and mother we could not have hoped for.

Marilyn is reunited now with her beloved husband, Bob, and together again, they are watching over us and will remain a source of inspiration and strength for the rest of our days.

Surviving are three sons, Robert G. DiSpirito Jr. and his wife, Evangelina, of Rockville, Md., James D. DiSpirito and his wife, Carol Lee Espy, of Pittsburgh, and David A. DiSpirito of Slippery Rock; two daughters, Diane E. Magliocca and her husband, Mike, of Slippery Rock, and Lisa Redman and her husband, Chad, of Tarpon Springs, Fla.; and 11 amazing grandchildren.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband; and two brothers, Arthur Muegge Jr. and Lloyd Muegge.

DISPIRITO — Family and friends of Marilyn Frances DiSpirito, who died Friday, April 12, 2019, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24, 2019, and from 9 until 11 a.m. Saturday, May 25, 2019, at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, 670 S. Main St., Slippery Rock.A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 25, 2019, at the church with the Rev. Adam Verona presiding.Arrangements have been entrusted to Smith Funeral Home, Slippery Rock.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Slippery Rock Community Library, P.O. Box 25, Slippery Rock, PA 16057.