GREENE – Amy Louise Marsland, of Greene, died on June 3, 2013, at the age of 89.
She was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on March 23, 1924, the daughter of Richard Albert Downey and Albert G. Amy. In 1951 she married William D. Marsland of Mamaroneck, NY.
She is survived by one brother, Dr. Keith Downey, and four children: Judy Wright of Bon Aqua, TN, Alicia (Mrs. Gene) Geromel of Swartz Creek, MI, David Marsland of Greene, and Adam Marsland of Los Angeles, CA; seven grandchildren: Cory Wright, Erica Murphy, Gina Gallutia, Peter and Michelle Geromel and Robert and Stephanie Marsland; seven great-grandchildren: Olivia Murphy, Beckett, Cecily and Ava Gallutia, and Alyssa, Dominic and Donovan Wright. She was predeceased by her husband, her son Stephen and her daughter in law, Hong Xiu Mao.
She attended the University of Saskatchewan, where she received her B.A., and the University of Michigan, where she received her M.A. and PhD. She taught, at various times, at Carleton College in Minnesota and Binghamton University.
The Marslands moved to Greene in 1958, where they purchased The Chenango American, then The Whitney Point Reporter, then The Oxford Review-Times, and in 1961 the Tri-Town News of Sidney. Mrs. Marsland was active for many years in the family newspaper business, as editor of The Chenango American and treasurer of Twin Valley Publishers. During her life in Greene she was chairman of the Bicentennial celebration, active as a member of the Greene Historical Society in putting Genesee Street on the historical register, and chaired for some time what later became Greene Community Services. She belonged to the Art Group of Greene, Book Club, and was a member of Zion Episcopal Church, where she served briefly on the vestry.
She was the author of two Doubleday Crime Club novels and, with her husband, two non-fiction books: Venezuela Through Its History and Snow White, the Wolf and the Unicorn. Symbols in Art, of which she was sole author, was published on the web in 1998, and in 2009 her last scholarly work, The Origin of Culture, was published by Academia Press.
Funeral services will be held at 5:30 p.m. on June 8 at the Zion Episcopal Church, N. Chenango St., Greene, with the Rev. David Hanselman, rector, officiating. Interment will be in Hamden Cemetery, Hamden, NY.
Friends may call from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on June 8 at the Zion Episcopal Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the Moore Memorial Library, 59 Genesee St., Greene, NY, or to the ACA Memorial Park Fund, c/o David Marsland, 62 Birdsall St., Greene, NY 13778. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Kennedy Funeral Home, 21 N. Chenango St., Greene, NY. Memories and condolences may be shared by visiting www.kennedyfuneralhome.net.