Obituary of Isabelle Manwiller

MANWILLER, Isabelle W., 103, died peacefully at CareOne at the Cupola in Paramus, NJ, on April 4, 2013. She moved to the Cupola in 2000, from Allendale, NJ, and had been a resident of Bergen County since moving to Midland Park 35 years ago. She was an active volunteer at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, giving 4485 hours of her time over 24 years. She also gave of her time to the Friends of the Midland Park Library, was a member of Midland Park Christian Reformed Church, and enjoyed the United Methodist XYZ group. When she moved to the Cupola, she began a whole new phase of her life, making fast friends with other residents, enjoying new activities, eventually welcoming and orienting new residents and becoming a favorite of Cupola staff. Born in Philadelphia, she was a graduate of Overbrook High School and the Pennsylvania Normal School, a teacher training institution. Despite the Depression, she served as a substitute elementary school teacher and was then appointed to a full time position in the Philadelphia Public Schools in the early 1930s. She subsequently taught for 30 years, mostly sixth grade. She was an active member of Bethany Temple Presbyterian Church in West Philadelphia, singing in the church choir and teaching Sunday School. At church she met Russell S. Manwiller, O.D., an optometrist. They married in 1937 and moved to Drexel Hill in the western suburbs of the city in 1943 where they were active members of Christ United Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill. She is predeceased by her sister Margaret, brother John and husband Russell, and survived by daughters Grace M. Hay of Mahwah, NJ, and Isabelle M. Davis of Madison, CT; three grandchildren - Russell D. Kosits of Brantford, Ontario, Canada, Andrew S. Kosits of Mahwah, and Laura D. Ferris of Stamford, CT; and five great grandchildren. She will be buried at the Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill. A remembrance of her life will be held at the Cupola during the week of April 15. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her memory to The Erythromelalgia Association, 200 Old Castle Lane, Wallingford, PA 19086. Arrangements by the Vander Plaat Funeral Home of Wyckoff (www.vpfh.com).