“She had a decades-long love affair with the beach at the nearby Jersey Shore. When her kids were small, she took them to the beach club throughout each summer. Then when her kids were old enough, Marie started working again, for many years as a secretary at the local elementary school. She made many friends there and enjoyed making a difference.

“Marie always emphasized togetherness in doing things with her children. The family went on many wonderful vacations together, usually in the family camper up and down the East Coast. In 1971, Marie and Lloyd took their sons on a bold European adventure, a 30-day road trip through eight countries. She always joked about us driving right by the Eiffel Tower, but not actually stopping to visit! Marie’s zest for travel stayed with her for many years and included countless other fun moments, including riding by herself on a camel in Egypt and helping her brother speak proper Italian to a snooty waiter in Northern Italy.

“When her grandchildren came along, Marie once again showed herself as a doting parental figure. She saw Christopher and Julie regularly and always lavished love and affection on them. In addition to being a loving grandparent, Marie was a crossword puzzle enthusiast and loved watching old classic movies from her large collection of VHS tapes.

“Marie had always loved going to the Monmouth Mall while living in Fair Haven, and walking around the mall became a part of how she coped with living on her own. In fact, when she moved to Brandywine Assisted Living in 2012, one of her biggest concerns was whether she would still be able to go to her most-prized mall. And yes, she did still go!”

Loved ones of Marie Ottesen in her obituary