MARILYN DECKER, PORT JERVIS, NEW YORK

Marilyn Decker, a lifelong resident of the area, died Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at Bon Secours Hospital, Port Jervis, NY.She was the daughter of the late Donald and Helen Dwyer Decker. She was born May 5, 1936 in Port Jervis, NY.She was a life member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Marilyn was employed by General Telephone Company of Upstate New York for 16 years. She then owned and operated ABC Travel Service and ABZ Real Estate. She retired in 1982. In 1985, she joined Mercy Community Hospital retiring in 1999. Marilyn was elected to the Port Jervis Free Library Board in 1981, serving for 23 years. Five of those years, she served as board president, she was the longest serving member of the board. She was a member of The Orange County Historical Society, American Association of Retired Persons, The Daughters of The American Revolution, The Minisink Valley Historical Society, The Sullivan County Historical Society, The Literacy Volunteer of America, The Irish Historical Society, Orange County Community College Alumni, The Women's Club of Lauderdale West. She was a Port Jervis High School graduate and furthered her education at Orange County Community College where she obtained her associate degree in business.Marilyn had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed helping others. She was a born optimist. She loved doing her genealogy, reading, traveling, and getting together with family and friends.Survivors include her sister, Denise Decker Shay and her husband, Carlton of Aston, PA; her brother, William Decker and his wife, Lois of Montague, NJ; three nieces: Joellen Decker Leeper, Susan Shay Gibilante, and Jill Parris Shay; four nephews: Brian Shay, Randy Leeper, James Gibilante, and David Decker; several grand nieces and grand nephews.Private burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Jervis, NY with Rev. George Hafemann officiating.Memorial contributions may be made to the Orange County Genealogical Society, 101 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924 or the Port Jervis Free Library, 138 Pike Street, Port Jervis, NY 12771.Funeral arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis, NY. For directions, information or to send a condolence note to the family, please visit knight-auchmoody.com.