Marion Murless Billings Harrison Spicer

Marion Murless Billings Harrison Spicer, 92 died peacefully at home on August 23, 2008 in Wakefield. She was the wife of the late Dr. Robert William Harrison of Kingston and the wife of the late Dr. Albert Doty Spicer of Weekapaug. She was born in New York City and grew up in New Haven, CT. and was the daughter of the late Charles Kingsbury and Catherine (Murless ) Billings. She attended Bay Path Junior College, worked at Yale University, was a member of the New Haven Skating Club and trained and competed in pairs ice dancing at lake Placid, New York. After marrying Robert W. Harrison, they moved to Pensacola, Florida where he was stationed for the duration of World War II. After the war, they moved to Perryville, then to a small farm in Kingston where she cultivated a large vegetable garden, raised animals and showed sheep. She was also a volunteer board member at Visiting Nurses in Wakefield, a member of the Kingston Congregational Church, Kingston Garden Club, PTA and Brownie and Girl Scout leader for many years. She instituted the junior sailing program at Point Judith Sailing Club and was an avid sailor, square dancer and bridge player. She was employed as a research assistant at the University of Rhode Island. In 1973, she married Dr. Albert D. Spicer and moved to Weekapaug where she participated in Monday Club, Weekapaug Tennis and Croquet Club and the Weekapaug Yacht Club. She and Al also became world travelers, visiting 7 continents and 58 countries. Other competive activities included beetlecat sailboat racing, bridge, tennis and 6 wicket croquet. In 2004 she and her husband moved to Stoneridge in Mystic, CT along with many long time friends from Weekapaug. After Albert Spicer died in 2005, she returned to Wakefield. Marion is survived by her three daughters, Suzanne H. Marchetti, Elizabeth A. Greene and Barbara A. DiOrio, three sons-in-law, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren and from her extended family, she is survived by Judith Knutson, Susan Spicer, three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was the sister of the late Kingsbury M. Billings, Jr. There will be a celebration of her life on Friday, August 29th with both a graveside service at River Bend Cemetery, Beach Street, Westerly at 11 AM and a memorial service to follow at Kingston Congregational Church, 2610 Kingstown Road, Kingston at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Animal Rescue League of RI, PO Box 458, Wakefield, RI 02880, Pt Judith Fisherman’s Memorial Foundation, PO Box 671, Charlestown, RI 02813, URI Foundation, and South Kingstown Land Trust, 313 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879.