Sigrun Eyle Marrocco
Northampton, MA – SIGRUN ‘SIGI’ EYLE MARROCCO of Northampton, MA passed away after a short illness on May 19, 2024 in Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital at the age of 82. At her death, she was surrounded by the love of Guy Russell Marrocco, her husband of 59 years, her son Christopher Julian Marrocco and her beloved and loving caretaker, Christie Precious Tengey, and her friend and driver, Theophilus Wahala-Dey.
Born in Marburg, Germany on April 29, 1942, Sigi’s lifelong passion to explore the world, its cultures, peoples and languages led her to leave Germany shorty after having completed finishing school to work as an au pair, first, in London where she learned English and then Paris where she became proficient in French. Paris was also where she met a young medical student visiting from Bologna, her future husband, Guy. They where married shortly afterwards in Florence, Italy. In 1965, they moved to New York and after one short year Guy was drafted into the army, following which the couple moved to Germany, first Schwabisch Hall, and then to Berchtesgaden, Bavaria where Guy was posted as a physician. This was the beginning of a life of travel and adventure together, as they explored and experienced the best of Europe. They returned to the United States to live in Burlington, Vermont where she attended classes at the University of Vermont. During a break from their studies, they travelled across the Middle East by land in a in self-converted VW minibus. In Afghanistan, Sigi became pregnant with her son, Christopher, and later traveled back to the United States to give birth in Burlington. Before finally settling in Western Massachusetts, first in Williamsburg and then in Northampton, they spent a year working in Jamaica for Project Hope.
Sigi continued her education, earning an MA in Art History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, with a specialty in Persian, Ottoman and Islamic textiles under the mentorship of Professor Walter B Denny. Sigi not only developed deep and lasting connections to the academic and social community in Northampton but was able to also maintain such connections with life-long friends around the world.
She ran an open welcoming home, taking in Yeshi, a Tibetan monk and refugee, and Sandra, an Italian architecture student, both of whom became dear life long friends, as well as many others. Her care for the Northampton community brought her to work with the Tibetan Resettlement Program and the Pioneer Valley Hospice.
Sigi was devoted to nature and art. She cherished the seasons and the solstices, trees, and, especially, her home-made frog pond. This love inspired her to study for and receive the coveted title of Master Gardener from Smith College. To the delight of the many who gathered around her table, she was a superb cook. Among her special treats were her many ways of preparing wild mushrooms that she hunted and picked herself. Sigi’s father, and sister had taught her to recognize edible mushrooms at an early age and contributed to her deep lasting love and respect for the forest. She became an avid “mushroomer”with “Mycology is Mushrooming” sticker on the back of her “S” Car. She had a sympathy and love for all things living and an extraordinary ability to teach even naturally incompatible animals how to live in harmony with one another.
In later years, a traumatic brain injury limited her mobility and threatened her life during the COVID pandemic. She never gave up, regaining movement on her right side and even speech in English, her non-native language. She, wanting to participate in her grandchildren’s lives as much as possible, particularly enjoyed their visits with her in Northampton or during her biannual visits to them in California. The warmth with which she welcomed her caregiver, Christie Precious, as a beloved member of the Marrocco family was a surprise to no one. In own typical way, she continued to transform lemons into lemonade.
In addition to Guy, her husband of 59 years, Sigi is survived by her son, Christopher, his partner, Marisha Ward, and her beloved grandchildren, Dominic and Silas Marrocco of Hermosa Beach California; her niece, Hella Geist of Kirchhain, Germany, and her son, Sebastian, together with wife, Anna, and their son, Frederick Geist (who arrived on this earth shortly before her passing and brought her great joy); her nephew Klaus Striesse of Langenstein, Germany, wife, Renate, son, Benjamin together with his partner, Katja Schraub and their children Ben Dominik and Liliana Schraub; Klaus’ daughter, Anika, together with her husband, Alexander Knack and daughter, Alina; her nephew, Michael Vitale, wife, Andrea and their children Lucus, Marcus, Nicholas, and “baby” Michael of Irvington, New York; her niece, Daniella Howel and her family, husband, Janson and their children Andrew, William, and Christopher of Brooklyn, New York; her nephew, Mark Vitale, and his family, wife, Kate and their children Sienna and Luca of Greenwich, Connecticut; and by dearly loved friends throughout the Pioneer Valley and around the world.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Elli Eyle; her stepmother, Elizabeth Eyle; her sister. Waltraut Striesse; her sister and brother in law Dorothy and Aldo Vitale; and her greatly loved and missed grandniece, Alexandrea Vitale.
Please consider donations to one of Sigi’s favorite charities, in lieu of flowers:
WWF- World wildlife fund
Dakin Humane Society
PO Box 6307, Springfield,Ma 01101
Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
donate.doctorswithoutboarders.org
Services and remembrance
1:00 pm Sunday, June 2, 2024
Church Service
Saint John’s Episcopal Church
48 Elm street
Northampton Ma, 01060
Celebration of life will continue at the “River”
111 Honey Pot Road,
Hadley Ma, 10135
Published by Daily Hampshire Gazette on May 30, 2024.
