APPLETON — Marian I. Norwood, 91, of Appleton, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2017, at home. Marian was born Nov. 10, 1925, and was the daughter of the late Everett J. Morse and Caroline M. (Lermond) Morse.

Marian attended Miller School in Lincolnville and briefly attended Camden High School. She entered into the work force as a young teenager. She worked for room and board caring for children for a family in Lincolnville, as well as working at the Knox Woolen Mill.

In 1945 she met and married the love of her life, Earl "Rodney" Norwood Jr. They made their home on a farm in Appleton. Six weeks after their wedding, Rodney entered the U.S. Army and shipped out to Germany during World War II. Marian found work at the Camden Community Hospital while he was away. A year later Rodney returned home from the service to continue their life together. In addition to raising a son and three girls, Marian worked hand and hand with Rodney building up their farm with enough profit to raise their family. In 1953 their beloved farm was totally destroyed by fire and after much sacrifice and the help of friends and family they started to rebuild the homestead in October of the same year. They raised laying hens as well as broilers for the Lipman and Penobscot Poultry Companies for 40 years.

Marian was a member of the Tranquility Grange in Lincolnville. She enjoyed doing crafts, including crocheting afghans, doilies, tablecloths and much more. She had a special talent of hooking wool rugs from scraps of wool that she often dyed to achieve the color she wanted for her art. In the summers she looked forward to moving to their camp on Alford Lake in Hope, where she and Rodney would spend their summers entertaining family and friends. Later in life she and Rodney would spend a week or more at the Fryeburg Fair, where Marian was well known for her ability to throw an iron skillet further than most, even when she was in her 80s. She loved dancing and she and Rodney spent many a night doing the do-si-do to square dance music with their friends. She liked to play cards and looked forward to her poker playing with the ladies as well as casino slot machines and scratch off tickets that Rodney bought her daily right up to the day she passed. In 2008 Marian decided to have an Annual Birthday Party for her whole family with a Yankee Swap gift exchange, a pot luck barbecue and fun had by all. Her tradition continues to this day. Every five years she hosted her husband's class reunion, which she had done for 60 years. The last few months of her life she spent hours coloring in adult coloring books and her artistic ability was amazing.

Marian was predeceased by her father and mother, Everett and Caroline Morse; an infant sister, Madeline Morse; and her only son, Earl R. Norwood III.

She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Earl "Rodney" Norwood Jr. of Appleton; three daughters, Jeannie Carson and her husband, Reed, of Etna, Deborah Evans and her husband, Kenneth, of Moore Haven, Fla., and Bonnie Deane and her husband, Randy, of Appleton; her sister, Jennie Pearse Clark of Belmont; a special daughter-in-law, Beatrice Norwood of Millinocket; nine grandchildren, Stephen Grotton, Tammie Carlisle, Kimberly Wickenden, Earl Rodney Norwood IV, Christopher Grotton, Shane Gerrish, Ryan Norwood, Harley Deane and Dakota Deane; and several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held Tuesday, May 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St. in Waldoboro. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, May 24, at 2 p.m. at the People's United Methodist Church in Union. Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Appleton with a reception to follow back at the church.

Hall's of Waldoboro has care of the arrangements.