Obituary for Marsha Ann Daigle-Williamson (Daigle)
Marsha Ann Daigle-Williamson, age 74, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, passed away at her residence with her husband at her side on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Marsha was born on June 16, 1946, the first child of Joel and Bernadette (Pelletier) Daigle and raised in St. John, Maine with her younger siblings, Patsy and Dale. She attended and graduated Mount Merici Academy in Waterville, Maine. Following graduation, Marsha attended the College of New Rochelle in New York where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in French. She then moved to Madison, Wisconsin to earn her master’s degree in French from the University of Wisconsin at the age of 21. From there Marsha moved to Ann Arbor in 1968 where she began doctoral studies in comparative literature at the University of Michigan. Her dissertation examined the work of C.S. Lewis and the inspiration he drew from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Her revised dissertation, Reflecting the Eternal: Dante’s Divine Comedy in the Novels of C.S. Lewis, appeared in 2015.
While attending an ecumenical prayer group at St. Mary’s Student Parish in 1968, Marsha met Peter Williamson . They eventually married in 1992 and settled in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In the intervening years, Marsha completed her graduate studies and began teaching at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan, eventually becoming Chair of the English Department. Teaching was truly a vocation for Marsha and she loved her students. They reciprocated, repeatedly voting her Spring Arbor’s Excellence in Teaching award. In 2007, Marsha retired from teaching. Since then she translated seventeen books, mostly from Italian, edited a similar number of works in English, and has served as English translator to Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the papal household.
Marsha was known for her faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit which she shared freely, her love of people (constantly remembering birthdays with cards), and her gift of encouragement that empowered others to be all they could be. She was a great listener.
Marsha enjoyed synchronized swimming as a young woman, and in her mature years, gardening and tap dance at the Ypsilanti Township Community Center.
Marsha was predeceased by her parents, Joel and Bernadette Daigle.
She will be deeply missed by her loving husband of 28 years, Peter S. Williamson; her siblings, Patsy (Daniel) Guerette and Dale (Polly Sommerfeld) Daigle; her nieces and nephew, Jessica, Jana and Joe; five sister and brother-in-laws and 19 nieces and nephews on the Williamson side.
Visitation will take place Friday, September 11, 2020 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm at the Christ the King Catholic Church parish center (the “Barn,”) 4000 Ave Maria Drive, Ann Arbor). A memorial Scripture and Memories service including testimony about God’s work through Marsha will take place from 6-7:00 pm. A Memorial Mass will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 1:30 pm. Both events will be live-streamed and are available to view at this website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4mwa0sdm78_xO9lGv8bofg/featured
Memorial donations can be made in Marsha’s name to Hope Medical Clinic, Inc., P. O. Box 980311, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48198.
https://thehopeclinic.org/donate-1
Marsha was born on June 16, 1946, the first child of Joel and Bernadette (Pelletier) Daigle and raised in St. John, Maine with her younger siblings, Patsy and Dale. She attended and graduated Mount Merici Academy in Waterville, Maine. Following graduation, Marsha attended the College of New Rochelle in New York where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in French. She then moved to Madison, Wisconsin to earn her master’s degree in French from the University of Wisconsin at the age of 21. From there Marsha moved to Ann Arbor in 1968 where she began doctoral studies in comparative literature at the University of Michigan. Her dissertation examined the work of C.S. Lewis and the inspiration he drew from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Her revised dissertation, Reflecting the Eternal: Dante’s Divine Comedy in the Novels of C.S. Lewis, appeared in 2015.
While attending an ecumenical prayer group at St. Mary’s Student Parish in 1968, Marsha met Peter Williamson . They eventually married in 1992 and settled in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In the intervening years, Marsha completed her graduate studies and began teaching at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan, eventually becoming Chair of the English Department. Teaching was truly a vocation for Marsha and she loved her students. They reciprocated, repeatedly voting her Spring Arbor’s Excellence in Teaching award. In 2007, Marsha retired from teaching. Since then she translated seventeen books, mostly from Italian, edited a similar number of works in English, and has served as English translator to Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the papal household.
Marsha was known for her faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit which she shared freely, her love of people (constantly remembering birthdays with cards), and her gift of encouragement that empowered others to be all they could be. She was a great listener.
Marsha enjoyed synchronized swimming as a young woman, and in her mature years, gardening and tap dance at the Ypsilanti Township Community Center.
Marsha was predeceased by her parents, Joel and Bernadette Daigle.
She will be deeply missed by her loving husband of 28 years, Peter S. Williamson; her siblings, Patsy (Daniel) Guerette and Dale (Polly Sommerfeld) Daigle; her nieces and nephew, Jessica, Jana and Joe; five sister and brother-in-laws and 19 nieces and nephews on the Williamson side.
Visitation will take place Friday, September 11, 2020 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm at the Christ the King Catholic Church parish center (the “Barn,”) 4000 Ave Maria Drive, Ann Arbor). A memorial Scripture and Memories service including testimony about God’s work through Marsha will take place from 6-7:00 pm. A Memorial Mass will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 1:30 pm. Both events will be live-streamed and are available to view at this website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4mwa0sdm78_xO9lGv8bofg/featured
Memorial donations can be made in Marsha’s name to Hope Medical Clinic, Inc., P. O. Box 980311, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48198.
https://thehopeclinic.org/donate-1