Marie Maple

Marie Anne Maple, age 75, died on August 12 2015. She was born Marie Spring on September 6, 1939 in Watford, England, and for a while was known as Air Raid Lizzie as World War 2 started on September 3.

Marie was educated at Watford Grammar School and the University of Nottingham, where she graduated in 1963 with a degree in French and Spanish.

Marie taught French until 1967 when she and her future husband Robert Maple emigrated to Canada. In the Toronto school system she taught French to immigrant children. In 1969 Marie and Robert moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana where Robert worked in a bank administering trusts and estates.

In 1995 after moving to Durango, Marie taught French for a semester at Fort Lewis College,
then worked as an aide at Excel school. To her surprise, Marie was then offered a job in the ticket office of the Durango and Silverton Railroad. She was told that her translation skills would be important as many people from French and Spanish speaking countries ride the train.

She also worked at Walmart in Stationery, frequently being called on to translate for French and Spanish speaking customers.

Marie and Robert had two children , Natasha Crouse of Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Valentina Maple who lives in Durango. There are two grandchildren, Dee and Ben Crouse.

Visitation is at Hood Funeral Home from 12 to 1 on Saturday August 22 with funeral at 11
on Monday August 24 at Christ the King church.