SIDNEY — Marcella Wick will reach her 100th birthday on March 5, 2017. Feted by her sons and daughter, Marcella will have a reception at Ohio Living Dorothy Love from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Amos Center for family and invited guests.
Mrs. Wick was born on March 5, 1917 in Dayton (Northridge), Ohio, the daughter of the late Harry Leslie and Elsie Hills Leslie. After spending her early years in Dayton, the Leslie family moved to Houston, Ohio, where Marcella met the love of her life, Delbert Wick. After graduation from Houston High School, Marcella and Delbert settled into married life.
They are the parents of three children, James (Carol Fisher, deceased) Wick, of Sidney, Thomas (Joyce Trost) Wick, of Sidney, and Patricia (Duane) Mullen, of Sidney. There are six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. After starting their family, Marcella went on to college at Wittenburg, graduating with a teaching degree in 1957.
Marcella’s teaching career spanned over 25 years, with hundreds of elementary school children in the Hardin-Houston and Versailles Exempted Village schools. Ever the teacher, Marcella continued with substitute teaching and tutoring. She was 83 years old on her last day in the classroom, a vibrant 83 still able to use all the talent and skills that she had learned and shared through her lifetime.
Never one to “just sit around”, Marcella was an amazing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, seamstress, cook, cardplayer … and a voracious reader. While her passion over the years was teaching in the classroom, her joy was her family; she would drop everything to do things with them. Nearly every Sunday afternoon was supper “at home”; Christmas and most holidays were at “Mom’s.” Warm weather would find Marcella and Delbert on a golf course, somewhere in Shelby or Miami counties, or in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida; the clubs were in the car.
An accomplished quilter, Marcella turned out over twenty in the past 35 years: all the detailed and intricate designs that she sewed and hand-quilted, plus old ties, jeans denim, sports T-shirts, and blood donation t-shirts.
You seldom saw Marcella without Delbert, unless she was shopping with the girls. Through 64 years of marriage, they were always together or near each other. Bowling, golfing, taking leisurely drives, stopping for ice cream, or just sitting watching the fire. They opened a small collectible glassware shop in their Houston garage, to buy-sell-trade with other collectors. Sadly, Delbert was called to Heaven on Nov. 8, 2000.
Having moved to Sidney from Houston in the late 1980s, Delbert and Marcella later resided at the Ohio Living Dorothy Love. After Delbert’s death, Marcella continued her active ways with special neighbor and fellow conspirator, Helen Powell. They played cards, went on day trips for fun, lunch and fresh air. Marcella moved back into town after Helen’s passing: she needed more space. She had things to do. And she wanted a garage for her car (her last new car arrived when she was 97). She returned to Ohio Living Dorothy Love when she was 98.
A true renaissance woman, Marcella is a beacon for her family. Her thirst for knowledge is only surpassed by her hunger to share that knowledge and acquired skills. She played the organ at the Houston Church of Christ for over 50 years. She played the piano when there was one around. She was in her 80’s when she got her first computer. And just to round it out, Marcella took up the guitar in her 90’s so that she could play with her son, Jim.
If she thought it, she did it, and she did it very well.
Cards will be appreciated and can be sent to: Marcella Wick, Ohio Living Dorothy Love, 3003 West Cisco Road – Room 128A, Sidney, OH 45365
