Marian Ardelle Newman Marian ….

Marian Ardelle Newman

Marian Newman was a private person, to the point of secrecy, which gave her an air of mystery and intrigue that she actively cultivated. Born to the late Otto F. and Katherine (Towne) Newman, she graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School (’48) in Illinois and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University (’52).

She had a brief, youthful marriage to William F. Gilman and after their divorce did not remarry, saying that she never found another man who suited her as well as Bill. She worked as a personal accountant for the Henry Crown Co. in Chicago and retired to Seal Beach, in the mid-1980s. She was a woman ahead of her time, preferring to live in self-contained communities both in Chicago and California, forgoing car ownership her entire life.

She enjoyed listening to jazz music, playing bridge and was proud to have lived long enough to see the Chicago Cubs win a Worlds Series. She loved international travel and the ocean cruising lifestyle. She discovered the joys of Italy early in her life and returned there often to visit.

As a child, she was enthralled by the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute in Chicago, which led to a lifetime of collecting and a post-retirement business importing and selling exquisite European made doll house furniture and accessories.

Along with her parents, her brother Richard T. and his wife, Betty Ann (Cunningham) Newman preceded her in death. She is survived by her niece Ann K. Newman (Bobbie Ruth Langley), nephew Richard C. Newman, and great-niece Rachel V. Yorkis (Brandon).

Her remaining family is grateful for the many doctors, nurses, social workers, caregivers and neighbors who cared for and aided Marian during the later stages of her life. She will be interred in a private ceremony at Mt. Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois this spring.