Marsha Niederer, 69, passed away on May 7, 2024 at her home in Buckingham Springs, after an extended illness. Born in Manila, Philippines on October 18, 1954, the second child of Harry Lloyd and Virginia M. (Lipps) Harting, she was christened Valerie Marsha. She never used her first name.
Because her father served in the U.S. Foreign Service, the Harting family spent the first eleven years of Marsha’s life living abroad in Philippines, Laos, Germany, Taiwan, Lebanon, Libya, and Cameroon.
Marsha received much of her early education overseas in schools conducted in French, and when she returned to the U.S. at age 11, she was fluent in the language. In Libya and Cameroon, she also studied ballet, proudly going on pointe at an unusually young age.
The family’s life abroad ended abruptly in November 1965 with the sudden death of Marsha’s father. Mother Virginia brought Marsha and her brother Harry Lloyd, Jr. back to the U.S., settling in Fairview Park, Ohio, a suburb on the west side of Cleveland. There she completed her elementary and secondary education. At Fairview High School Marsha was active in theater and an enthusiastic member of the drill team, graduating in 1972.
The same year, Marsha enrolled as a freshman at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, where she spent what were probably the happiest years of her life, graduating in 1976. At first a French major, she later switched to sociology. An outstanding dancer, Marsha excelled as a performer in the college drill team, O Squad, becoming its co-captain. She eagerly expanded her social circle by joining Sigma Alpha Tau sorority, making lifelong friends. Long after graduation, Marsha maintained her close high school and college connections, astounding her friends by recounting in photographic detail events and people from decades before.
At Otterbein she met Karl Niederer, whom she wed one year after graduating, in 1977. They were married nearly 47 years, raising two daughters, Holly Elisabeth and Valerie Heath Niederer.
Marsha was active in church, especially at the Crossing in Washington Crossing, Pa., participating for more than 25 years in a nurturing ladies’ Bible study and prayer group, as well as a couples study with Karl, Last Resort. At the end of her life she attended Grace Point Church, Newtown.
Her grandchildren, Marley and Conrad together were the joy of her later years. Close behind them in her affections were a very long line of cats.
Marsha is survived by her husband, Karl; two daughters, Holly (Steve Olson) of Wrightstown, Pa. and Valerie of Belgrade, Montana; grandchildren Marley Pethica and Conrad Olson; her brother, Harry Lloyd Harting, Jr. of Purcellville, Va.; and her loving caregiver Natia Brachuli. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, and an elder half-sister Georgianna (Harting) Baughman.
Marsha’s Homecoming to be with her Lord will be celebrated on Friday, May 24, 2024 at Grace Point Church, 592 Washington Crossing Road, Newtown, PA 18940. Visitation at the church will begin at 10:00 a.m., with the service at 11:00, followed by a luncheon in the church’s conference room. A private graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 25, at Harbourton Cemetery in Hopewell Township, New Jersey.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Otterbein University, Gary Tirey Endowed Award in Music, 1 South Grove Street, Westerville, OH 43081; or to Royce’s Rescue, 374 Worthington Mill Road, Richboro, PA 18954, a no-kill animal shelter.
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