Marilyn Nicholson Spence

Marilyn Nicholson Spence was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 21st, 1953, the third child of the late Malvin Nicholson and Mary Lee Nicholson (nee: Hargrave). She grew up in Carroll Community, Baltimore, Maryland where her contagious smile touched everyone. After graduating from Northwestern Senior High School, she received a Bachelors Degree in Education from Towson State College and a Master's Degree in Education from Coppin State College. Her teaching career began in Baltimore, Maryland where she taught, loved and nurtured children as if they were her own. Marilyn gave of her own time and made many personal sacrifices to help her students. She taught in the inner city and broadened the minds of her students with new experiences. She was a veracious reader and instilled a passion for knowledge in her students. Marilyn worked at the Housing Authority of Baltimore City for 25 years. She started as a teaching assistant and worked her way up to Childcare Program Administrator. She coordinated child care and worked tirelessly for the children in her programs. She shared a mutual love and respect with her staff. They were her equals, her companions, and her friends. Together, they worked to improve the lives of the children. Marilyn enjoyed gardening, shopping at thrift stores and yard sales, cookouts, and spending time with family. She also enjoyed watching old movies and studying her bible. She was active in her church, spending hours feeding the homeless, collecting food and clothes for the needy, and she adopted less fortunate children from other countries. Her devotion for others came from her passion and love for Christ. She never missed an opportunity to share her love for Jesus Christ with others. She shared the good news of Jesus and witnessed to friends, family, and all those with ears to hear. She committed herself to the work of God and believed that one should put their talents to use serving the Lord. Marilyn was married to Rodney Spence and from that union came her children, the love and joy of her life, Rodney Raki Thurron Spence Jr. and Ashley Nicole Lorenz (nee: Spence). She worked very hard to make sure that her children had the best opportunities. There were times that she worked more than one job to provide her kids with whatever they needed. Marilyn was always willing to do whatever was necessary for Rodney and Ashley. This obituary cannot sum up the love shared between Marilyn and her children. Her kids say that it would be impossible to have a better mother and that they were blessed to have her. Mourning her departure from her earthly life, but rejoicing in her new life with Christ, Marilyn leaves, to glorify in her memory: her son, Rodney; daughter, Ashley; one son-in-law, Brian Lorenz; beloved mother, Mary Leona Nicholson; beloved grandmother, Leanna Hargrave; three sisters, Cookie, Carolyn, and Roslyn; four brothers, Malvin Jr., Mark, Darryl, and Sean; six nieces, Kelly, Erin, Kristin, Taylor, Simone, and Sydney; five nephews, Brian, Jason, O'Shay, Jordan, and Noah; two aunts, Yvonne Arms and Sonia Hargrave; two uncles, Richard and Martin Hargrave; three sisters-in-law, Tiajuana, Carol, and Arletta; two brothers-in-law, Richard Green and John Williams; Franklin Johnson and Marlon Plunkett who she loved as brothers and a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Marilyn Nicholson Spence

August 21, 1953 - April 7, 2005