Obituary of Marilyn Keibler Lawson Clarke

Marilyn Keibler Lawson Clarke, 97, of Buckhannon, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at Stonerise Bridgeport. Born on March 11, 1926, in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Marilyn was the daughter of Charles Edward and Helen Mae Keibler. In addition to her parents, Marilyn was preceded in death by her only sibling, Rev. Conway E. Keibler; her first husband, Richard H. Lawson; and last husband, Dr. Robert Clarke. Ms. Clarke is survived by daughters Anita Jo Lawson and Mary Grace Griffin (Daniel) of Morgantown; granddaughters Laura Elizabeth Griffin (Julian Mazero) of Palmyra, Pennsylvania; Amanda Charles Griffin (Daniel Olenhouse) of Glendora, New Jersey; and Katherine Olivia Griffin of Pittsburgh. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Betty Keibler of Pittsburgh, and nephew Charles Keibler (Tracy) of Minneapolis, MN. Ms. Clarke is also survived by her stepdaughters, Carrie Mahin (Bruce), of Radford, VA; Erin Tropila (Mitch) of Great Falls, MT; and Shannon Toscano (Martin) and step-granddaughters, Caroline and Elizabeth Toscano, all of Wayne, PA. Marilyn was a lifelong learner and educator, beginning her teaching career in music in 1952 and later teaching English in the Upshur County School System where she also served as vice principal at Buckhannon Upshur High School before retiring in 1988. She received a B.A. in music education from West Virginia Wesleyan College and an M.A. in English from West Virginia University. Marilyn was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Buckhannon where she served on Church Council, was an active member of the United Methodist Women and a member of the chancel choir for many years. She practiced her faith through charitable giving and found one of her greatest joys in doing for others, sharing time, talent and treasure in service to those in need. Marilyn’s passion for music and the arts would take her to the great performance halls of Great Britain and America where she enjoyed theatrical productions and symphony orchestra performances throughout her life. She shared that passion with family and friends and instilled a love of the arts in her children and grandchildren. An avid football fan, Marilyn loved cheering for her favorite teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the WVU Mountaineers. Marilyn surrounded herself with family and friends and enjoyed the camaraderie of her memberships in many groups, most recently her bridge club, book club, and ladies lunch group. She continued throughout her life to satiate her curiosity with books and research. Her keen interest in literature, biographies and history led to a prolific knowledge of many subjects and informed both her teaching and her personal philosophy. The family of Marilyn K. Clarke would like to thank the medical and social service staff at the Stonerise Skilled Nursing Facility in Bridgeport for their compassionate and loving care and to the caregivers who attended Marilyn in her home: Deanna Moore, Patricia Brown and Darlene Hornbeck. As per her wishes, Ms. Clarke will be cremated. A memorial service at the First United Methodist Church in Buckhannon, with Rev. Steve Meadows presiding, will be held on April 15 at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends will be received at 10:30 prior to the service.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Upshur County Public Library, 1150 Route 20 South Road, Buckhannon WV  26201; the Lewis-Upshur County Animal Control Facility, 318 Mud Lick Road, Buckhannon, WV 26201;  or the West Virginia University School of Music Scholarship Fund, WVU Foundation, One Waterfront Place, 7th Fl, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV  26507-1650. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.polingstclair.com. Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.