Marianne Para Pender's Obituary
Marianne Para Pender, 89, beloved mother of Judy Pender Rutledge and Suzanne Pender, passed away peacefully on Palm Sunday, March 24th, 2024, at home in Ashburn, Virginia.
Born in White’s Crossing, Pennsylvania, in 1934 to Olga and Stanley Para, Marianne was raised in the warmth of a close-knit, multigenerational family with the Catholic faith and Polish cultural traditions. She cared for the family’s small flock of chickens and enjoyed time at the area’s many pristine lakes. Marianne ultimately settled near Washington, D.C., after marrying, where she worked for the Kennedy White House and the Department of Defense at Cameron Station and Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Marianne faced life’s challenges with steadfast strength and a resilient spirit. She raised her two daughters in Springfield, Virginia, with love, devotion, and humor. A lifelong animal lover, she doted on her dogs, Muffin the Yorkshire Terrier and Sunshine the Pomeranian, and was delighted by all walks of wildlife. She loved sunsets and moonrises and nature’s changing seasons, especially summer with its succession of flowers in bloom, fresh picked strawberries, and tomatoes from her garden. Marianne had a spunky, playful spirit, and a curiosity about art, culture, and those around her. Insightful, observant, and direct, she enjoyed lively conversation and had a distinct point of view on topics from fashion to football to food.
Marianne was preceded in death by her parents and sister Dolores McDonnell (Bob). She leaves behind two daughters, Judy Rutledge (Michael) of Ashburn, Virginia and Suzanne Pender (Gene Baur) of Arlington, Virginia, two granddaughters, Tiffany and Sydney Rutledge, and her brother Stanley Para (Sherry Castleberry) of Woodstock, Georgia, and sister Rita Rupp (Anthony) of Simpson, Pennsylvania, as well as many nieces and nephews around the country.
A funeral mass will be held at Saint Theresa Catholic Church, in Ashburn, Virginia on Monday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
https://alexandriaanimals.org/donate-to-the-awla/
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