Obituary of Marion Elizabeth Elsbeck

Marion Elizabeth Stegemann was born in Amityville here on Long Island and would live her life on the island she loved. Her passion for travel never diminished the happiness she felt when she returned home. Her parents Leatrice and Bill welcomed Marion to a full house joining sisters Leatrice (Lea), Louise (Beez) and “Brother Bill”. This brought her closer to her cousin and lifelong companion Gina, a cousin who was more like a sister. During her childhood in East Northport Marion lived the memories she would often share of family trips and the day to day life of a close family. When she was 10, the family moved to Dix Hills. Marion went to Half Hollow Hills West and just before graduation she started dating a guy that would change her life. After graduation the independent Marion moved into an apartment with Lisa G, a friend for life. Marion met Bill (Wile-E) Elsbeck at the house of a mutual friend and there was an instant attraction. A strong friendship developed and she broke up with her then boyfriend and then Marion and Wile-E started dating (June 1, 1981). Theirs was a rom-com type of courtship of a hacker car mechanic and a girl with an unreliable car. During this time they developed deep feelings for each other and when Wile-E got a temp job in Sweden the time apart cemented their feelings and a long distance proposal was accepted. During the engagement Marion moved into the house she would make into her home. It was around this time a small dark cloud appeared on the horizon; Marion was diagnosed with kidney disease. On June 1, 1985 she became Marion Elizabeth Elsbeck, a great party, no one will forget the worm… They honeymooned in Hawaii, the first of many epic trips they would take through the years. On that trip they went scuba diving, explored volcanos and rainforests, and sat with NFL star and future head coach of the Washington Football team Ron Rivera. This trip set a standard they would try to match with future trips. The next 4 years were relatively quiet weekend trips in the Northeast, their first road trip to Florida and family visits across the country. Marion’s kidney function continued to decline slowly. Then perhaps the greatest event of her life occurred, she became a mom. William George Elsbeck was born in April of 1990. Billy was born early and spent 99 days in the hospital. Spending countless hours at the hospital reinforced her caregiving nature and caused her to dedicate her life to her son. Billy thrived under her care and grew healthier each day. With the help of her next door neighbor in-laws, Marion and her newly expanded family started the multi-year project, expanding their tiny house. During construction Marion’s kidney function continued to decline, with each visit to the doctor bringing more bad news. As spring of 1992 moved to summer search for a transplant began. Fortunately all of Marion’s siblings were willing to donate and a match for transplant. On September 9, 1992 Brother Bill donated his kidney. The kidney started working immediately and Marion quickly regained her health. She would monitor but not worry about kidney function for the next 20 years. While enjoying the good health the transplant made possible, Marion spent her time raising her son, traveling and living a “normal” life. This was the time of epic trips, Paris, California, Wyoming, and best of all Hawaii again. The return to Hawaii to celebrate their 20th anniversary, Wile-E surprised Marion with a vow renewal. They were able to share this celebration of their love with Billy and Gina; it remained a favorite memory for the rest of her life. Time flew for Marion and Wile-E; they grew even closer as Billy grew from the tiny baby to a young man. The time did start to take a toll on her health. Marion’s kidney function again started the steady decline. She was a second time lucky when a kidney became available before she needed dialysis. Unfortunately health problems plagued Marion after this transplant with multiple hospital stays. Marion had to start dialysis 3 years after the second transplant. This started a waiting phase of her life; there was a 10 year wait for a transplant in New York. Marion enjoyed trips to family weddings in Texas and Philadelphia and a trip to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where she was accepted into their transplant program. Two short years later she received a call and within 24 hours she had her 3rd transplant. There were complications that required follow up surgery and in-hospital treatments. After a couple of months convalescing in Jacksonville Beach Marion returned home and looked to return to a “normal life”. Wile-E retired, and the couple bought a RV and was planning future road trips when a pain in her hip signaled the start of the biggest battle of her life. A biopsy revealed the hip pain was due to a cancerous lesion and subsequent test showed the extent of the spread. Marion endured radiation and chemo in an effort to slow the progression, but she lost her battle a short 7 months after the first diagnosis. Marion leaves behind a broken hearted husband Wile-E, son Billy and dog Zappo. She was very close to her cousin Gina, who was there in good times and bad. Gina provided the support only a lifelong friend is able to give. At times she led a tough life but the love and support of her family and friends gave Marion the strength to survive her darkest hours. When the end was nearing and she was aware her end was near, she expressed no regrets and was happy with a life well spent.