Born in Harlem Hospital in NYC on March 3, 1933, Marion Boissiere lived a full life. She was second of seven girls born to Mae and John Walters. She was predeceased by her mother, father, and her six sisters, Jeanette, Mae, Betty, Barbara, Joan, and Sandy and the love of her life, her husband Derrick.

Marion graduated from Julia Richmond High School in NYC, SUNY Stony Brook, and received her master’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill. While she attended Hunter College, she worked as an usherette in Lowe’s Movie Theater in Manhattan. There she met a handsome usher with an exotic accent and a French last name, two things that she couldn’t resist, being a girl, who at the time, had only traveled through the books she read and the movies she watched. They fell in love, married, and Marion left school for over a decade before going back to school when her children were in school themselves. Marion and her husband Derrick were married September 4, 1954. They celebrated 60 years of marriage before he passed away in 2015.

Marion was always busy. When her kids were growing up she was a Den Mother in the Cub Scouts, coached girl’s softball, and kept an immaculate home.

When the kids were out of the house she was very involved in bowling leagues in Raleigh, she volunteered at Wake Med neo-natal department holding babies for moms who could not, she volunteered with the Special Olympics, Senior Games, she took painting classes, went to plays, worked the elections, worked for the census and traveled with the Raleigh Parks and Rec.

Marion was also a collector and she was extremely organized. She loved to write letters, maybe to show off her beautiful handwriting, and she never let a birthday or anniversary go by without sending a card. She loved her family. She also loved her Tar Heels.

Her last nine years and four days without her greatest love, her husband Derrick, were filled with activities and plans for more adventures, although she missed him immensely.

Marion was an avid bowler and was very involved in the sport on a state and local level. She was the Capitol Area USBC Director of the Year and was inducted into the Capitol Area USBC Association Hall of Fame.

Marion loved her independence and proved it by continuing to drive and living alone until the end.

Marion leaves behind her son, Derrick Boissiere Jr (Teresa) of Riley Hill , NC and her daughter Diane Boissiere Rhodes (Bill) of Wilmington, NC, grandchildren Luke Boissiere, Jonah Swann, Catori and Nina Swann, and Kayla and Stephen Guilliams and 7 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews who will miss her dearly.

She will be honored with a celebration of life service at 1 pm on September 21, 2024 at the Renaissance Funeral Home 7615 Six Forks Rd in Raleigh. Family and friends are welcome to the gathering with refreshments immediately after the service.