Obituary for Marcia Massing Daniel
DANIEL, Marcia Massing
August 25, 1929 – February 26, 2023. Preceded in death by her parents Shirley and Ben Massing; her brother Barry; her loving husband of 66 years, Ries; and her beloved son Bruce. She is survived by her son Malcolm Daniel and son-in-law Darryl Morrison; daughter-in-law Nora Daniel; step-grandsons Keenan and Ross McCune; and devoted nieces and nephews. She was intellectually curious, compassionate, generous, and physically active to the end, and will be deeply missed by many friends.
For the great majority of her life, Marcia was a Baltimorean. After graduation from The Park School of Baltimore in 1947, Marcia attended Mount Holyoke College, transferring to Goucher College after Ries proposed marriage. She and Ries married in 1950 and raised two boys, Bruce and Malcolm. Marcia graduated from Goucher Phi Beta Kappa with special honors in Philosophy in 1951, and later received an M.A. in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University and did graduate coursework at Loyola College for certification as a special education teacher. From 1959 to 1967, Marcia taught grades 1, 3, and 5 at The Park School, and from 1968 to 1989 she was the schoolteacher at Kernan Hospital and Children’s Hospital in the Baltimore City Public Schools Home and Hospital Division, a position that drew equally on her compassion, creativity, and teaching skills. After retirement, she taught English as a second language to adult Russian refugees and was adored by her students.
Marcia was an inspiration to many. Even at 93, she enjoyed weekly bridge games with friends and welcomed the mental stimulation provided by her literature group and online courses in poetry, Shakespeare, short stories, history, and art history. She remained involved with Baltimore Hebrew’s Social Justice Committee and felt deeply committed to interfaith understanding and racial justice. Marcia loved going to the symphony, theater, and museums; reading; travel; walking as much as 2 miles a day, even in her final year; and cherished daily “Facetime” conversations with her son Malcolm. Unfailingly kind, Marcia felt deeply sorrowful for the suffering of others, and regularly expressed gratitude for her own blessings in times of joy and celebration as well as moments of personal tragedy. Her philosophy is beautifully captured in a poem she has asked to be read at her funeral, which includes this passage: “You can love me most by sharing your joys, multiplying your good deeds.”
Services at SOL LEVINSON & BROS., INC, 8900 Reisterstown Rd., at Mount Wilson La. on Wednesday, March 1, at 10:30, followed by interment at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery, Berrymans Lane. In lieu of food or flowers, contributions in her memory may be sent to Maryland Food Bank, 2200 Halethorpe Farms Rd., Baltimore, MD 21227 (mdfoodbank.org); MAZON, A Jewish Response to Hunger, PO Box 96119, Washington, DC 20090 (mazon.org); or the charity of your choice. In mourning at 2 Pomona East, Apt. 206, Pikesville, MD 21208, Wednesday immediately following the funeral until 2:30 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Condolences may be sent to: Mr. Malcolm Daniel, 2001 Vermont Street, Houston, TX 77019.
August 25, 1929 – February 26, 2023. Preceded in death by her parents Shirley and Ben Massing; her brother Barry; her loving husband of 66 years, Ries; and her beloved son Bruce. She is survived by her son Malcolm Daniel and son-in-law Darryl Morrison; daughter-in-law Nora Daniel; step-grandsons Keenan and Ross McCune; and devoted nieces and nephews. She was intellectually curious, compassionate, generous, and physically active to the end, and will be deeply missed by many friends.
For the great majority of her life, Marcia was a Baltimorean. After graduation from The Park School of Baltimore in 1947, Marcia attended Mount Holyoke College, transferring to Goucher College after Ries proposed marriage. She and Ries married in 1950 and raised two boys, Bruce and Malcolm. Marcia graduated from Goucher Phi Beta Kappa with special honors in Philosophy in 1951, and later received an M.A. in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University and did graduate coursework at Loyola College for certification as a special education teacher. From 1959 to 1967, Marcia taught grades 1, 3, and 5 at The Park School, and from 1968 to 1989 she was the schoolteacher at Kernan Hospital and Children’s Hospital in the Baltimore City Public Schools Home and Hospital Division, a position that drew equally on her compassion, creativity, and teaching skills. After retirement, she taught English as a second language to adult Russian refugees and was adored by her students.
Marcia was an inspiration to many. Even at 93, she enjoyed weekly bridge games with friends and welcomed the mental stimulation provided by her literature group and online courses in poetry, Shakespeare, short stories, history, and art history. She remained involved with Baltimore Hebrew’s Social Justice Committee and felt deeply committed to interfaith understanding and racial justice. Marcia loved going to the symphony, theater, and museums; reading; travel; walking as much as 2 miles a day, even in her final year; and cherished daily “Facetime” conversations with her son Malcolm. Unfailingly kind, Marcia felt deeply sorrowful for the suffering of others, and regularly expressed gratitude for her own blessings in times of joy and celebration as well as moments of personal tragedy. Her philosophy is beautifully captured in a poem she has asked to be read at her funeral, which includes this passage: “You can love me most by sharing your joys, multiplying your good deeds.”
Services at SOL LEVINSON & BROS., INC, 8900 Reisterstown Rd., at Mount Wilson La. on Wednesday, March 1, at 10:30, followed by interment at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery, Berrymans Lane. In lieu of food or flowers, contributions in her memory may be sent to Maryland Food Bank, 2200 Halethorpe Farms Rd., Baltimore, MD 21227 (mdfoodbank.org); MAZON, A Jewish Response to Hunger, PO Box 96119, Washington, DC 20090 (mazon.org); or the charity of your choice. In mourning at 2 Pomona East, Apt. 206, Pikesville, MD 21208, Wednesday immediately following the funeral until 2:30 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Condolences may be sent to: Mr. Malcolm Daniel, 2001 Vermont Street, Houston, TX 77019.