Marvel Louise Duerringer

Our mother, Marvel Louise Duerringer died at the age of 95 on November 22, at UTMC. She was preceded in death by her husband of 73 years, Joseph Albert Duerringer and her sister, Ardith Cooper (Richard).

Mom and Dad shared many interests during their years together—a love of big band music and jazz greats like Errol Garner, George Shearing, Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson. We grew up in a home filled with great music. Both were avid bridge players and enjoyed both party bridge and duplicate bridge. After Dad’s passing in 2020, mom continued to play bridge with a group of wonderful people at Ohio Living Swan Creek where she lived the last years of her life. They also bowled and played golf together and enjoyed traveling the country.

Our mom was really special! Birthdays always meant a special made-from-scratch cake, and Christmas was, well, fabulous. We were, as kids, great helpers in the kitchen offering our assistance in the cutting out, frosting, and decorating of the world’s best sugar cookies. In addition, no Christmas was complete without her special recipe chocolate and peanut butter fudge. YUM!

There are a couple of stories that have reached the status of family lore. One year our family took off to norther Michigan to a resort. The highlight of that trip was the “Waterski Debacle.” Mom couldn’t swim and really avoided the water, but we nagged her relentlessly try to waterski because it was “easy as pie.” She gave in. The boat took off and mom got yanked out of the water, but in her fear, she never stood up. What a sight that was watching a woman ski around the entire lake on her rear end. She NEVER lived that one down.

We still laugh today when we talk about the subject of peas. We HATED peas, and unfortunately had probably a teaspoon of peas on our plates at dinner’s end. Well, since Mom believed that children should clean their plates, we were still at the dinner table refusing to eat them. To emphasize her insistence that we had to finish off those green peas, she banged (BANG!) the edge of the table with a wooden spoon. “You two (BANG!) will eat those peas (Bang!) if you have to sit there until bedtime (BANG!). With that final whack on the table, the head of the wooden spoon broke off and went flying, and we flew into hysterics. All of us cracked up. That was the last night we sat late at the table to clear our plates.

Our home was filled with beautiful things she made. She took china painting lessons, cross-stitched projects that are heirlooms at this point, and refinished furniture. She was a room mother at our elementary school, cooked for the many ice cream socials, and was an assistant girl scout leader. She took pride in her over 40 years as a volunteer for Mobile Meals, and when she finally gave up her route, she was in her 80’s—older than many of the people she delivered to.

Our wonderful mother is now gone, but will never be forgotten. We lovingly say goodbye to the woman who nurtured us, loved us, and showed us what it meant to be a devoted parent.

Marvel is survived by her children Valerie Napieralski (John) and Robert Duerringer (Sue) and her granddaughter Emily Czerniejewski (Joshua) and her great grandsons, Dylan and Conner.

We would like to thank nurses Caitland, Ray, and Deveny who were so caring and attentive to our mom’s needs in her final days. Also a huge thanks to the staff and her numerous friends at Ohio Living Swan Creek who helped her once again enjoy life after the passing of her much-loved husband.

Following her wish for no services, we hope those who knew Marvel, will remember and appreciate her kindness and generosity.

Memorial donations may be made to the Ohio Living Swan Creek Resident Association or to Ohio Living Swan Creek Life Care. Arrangements were entrusted to Walker Funeral Home, Toledo.