Donna Marie (Siring) Marble

Donna Marie Siring Marble passed away April 20, 2022. She was born April 23, 1932, to Robert Howard and Marie Catherine (Dressler) Siring, the second of their two children in Syracuse, NY. Donna grew up in Onondaga Valley, Syracuse, participating in her church and excelling in school before matriculating to Syracuse University at age 16. There she received a BSN a few months after marrying her husband Quentin whom she had met at an all-Syracuse Presbyterian church dance. She joined him on assignment in Milwaukee for what she always described as a lark – newly married, living in his company apartment with maid service! and working at a progressive hospital that allowed married (and soon-to-be pregnant) nurses – before moving to Poughkeepsie for his permanent job with IBM. She continued her career part-time through more moves – and more children! They settled in Owego, NY for 13 years with their five children before moving to the Washington, DC area, first in Maryland and then Virginia. Retirement took them to Connecticut near their eldest daughter, and she made her final move to Massachusetts after the trauma of losing both her husband and daughter to cancer. 

While she worked in many nursing roles, her favorite was as a clinical instructor to first year students, especially in OB-GYN units. Neighbors, friends, and family appreciated her medical expertise and advice. Possessed of a dry sense of humor, quick wit, and nimble mind, she shared her talents easily with others, lending a listening ear, knowledgeable medical advice, or a well-placed zinger to tease her family; she volunteered often as church camp nurse and for years donated her plasma twice weekly to protect Rh negative mothers and their babies. 

She had played piano on the radio as a girl and still sang, but most memorably she whistled, somehow adding harmony lines. She could warble and birds would sing back to her. 

She had a deep faith with favorite authors of meditation and reflection, but there would also be a stack of spy novels by her recliner. The public library was at least a once-a-week destination. Even when Covid stopped her from browsing the shelves, her librarians in Watertown took care of her and ordered books they thought she would enjoy. 

She was a loving wife, mother and trusted friend. She made lifelong friendships stretching back all the way to middle school and was generous with her neighbors and church members of her last decade. She welcomed people from all over the world and all walks of life into her home. She delighted in seeing the children in her midst grow. She also had a soft heart for the furry, four-legged variety of friend. She fed raccoons and foxes and coaxed stray cats out of the woods. She took in her last kitten at 86! She will be missed by all who knew her, especially the family she adored and who loved her.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 50 years, Quentin George Marble and their eldest daughter Lynn Marie Slayton, her brother R. Jack (Dolores) Siring, her sisters and brothers-in-law Ruth Brister, James (Babs) Marble, Bea Marble, and Louis (Shirley) Marble. She is survived by and will be dearly missed by her children Paul (Kate) Marble, Lisa (Gary Whitaker), Diana (Nick) Talios, Chris (Wilson) Lowry; grandchildren Marie (Dana Norris) Talios, Alexander (Sarah Rondeau) Talios, Brittany (Zach) Perkins, Grayson Marble, Joseph (Abby Ilardi) Lowry, Benjamin Lowry; great-granddaughter Addison Perkins; brother-in-law Fred (Betty) Marble, and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. 

Service to be held at Plymouth Congregational Church 582 Pleasant St. Belmont on Saturday May 14, 2022, at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Plymouth Congregational Church, or donations to the Watertown Free Public Library.

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