Marylee Evans Chaski

Marylee Chaski was born on Christmas Eve, near midnight, in 1923, the daughter of Katherine Elisabeth Wainwright Evans and Charles Vance Evans, in Ocean City, Maryland. Her grandmother, Annabelle Taylor Wainwright, attended as midwife and continued to play a significant role in Marylee’s development throughout her life.


Marylee’s brilliance was soon recognized in her schooling. She graduated at the top of her high school class at 16 and attended Salisbury Teacher’s College, now Salisbury University, again graduating at the top of her class in three years.


In her life work as a teacher, Marylee recognized and nurtured the brilliance in many children who loved her in return. She taught hundreds of children to honor their individual gifts as she honored each one in her care. She was often given the most difficult children and turned them round.



She married Milton S. Chaski, with whom she had six children in ten years. They developed many businesses together, sharing the joy of enterprise, crossword puzzles and antique auctions. Although they divorced after a long marriage, Marylee was always glad that she had her children by Milt. Her children are grateful to have her as their mother, and rise up to call her blessed.


Throughout her life, Marylee Chaski modeled the laws of sowing and overcoming. She showed that by sowing into the lives of others, our own lives are blessed. She showed that by overcoming evil with good, both the good and the evil are blessed.
She provided safety and a welcome table to all she could, she taught literacy to hundreds, and she excelled in scholarship and artistic creativity. We honor her values in recognizing and rewarding the potential of each grantee.


Eulogies:

from her daughter Carole E. Chaski, PhD

from her son-in-law John Middleton, MD


Encouragers in this life:

Annabelle Taylor Wainwright, Katie Wainwright Evans Ruark,

Hilda Wainwright Ruebel, Sister Vitus, Dick Varrell