Marcella (Marcy) Von Kohorn

Marcella (Marcy) Von Kohorn passed away on June 20, 2023 in Vero Beach at the age of 97. She died peacefully at home, surrounded by family.

Marcy was born on September 22, 1925, in Philadelphia, PA, to Herman and Cecilia (Ceal) Watkins. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1947, majoring in psychology. After a first marriage that produced two sons, in 1956 Marcy married the love of her life, Henry Von Kohorn, a widower, who brought his three sons to the marriage. Together they had a sixth son and raised their boisterous family in Greenwich, CT.

In 1987, Marcy and Henry moved to Vero Beach where they built a new life, making friends, playing tennis, and traveling the world. Marcy loved to paint, specializing in Chinese brush work, and she was good at it. Over the years, she sold her work through numerous shows and galleries in the Vero Beach area. She was an active member of the League of American Pen Women, a national creative arts organization. Every year without fail, Marcy produced a holiday card, featuring one of her paintings on the front and an original poem inside.

After 50 years of marriage, Henry died in 2006. In his honor, Marcy and her family sponsored the Henry Von Kohorn Tennis Tournament at The Moorings Club, which for the past 15 years has raised money on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. Marcy also became a regular volunteer at VNA Hospice House. In her later years, she became proficient with the computer – writing, emailing, texting, Googling, and mastering QuickBooks. And she continued to paint, presenting a one-person show in Vero Beach as recently as last year. This January, Vero Beach Magazine published a feature story entitled “The Art of Aging Gracefully,” about Marcy, her paintings, and her recently produced memoir. Intent on remaining self-reliant, she lived independently until the end.

But with all of her accomplishments, Marcy was most proud of the many members of her large and loving family. She is survived by her six sons – Craig (Kathy) of Vero Beach; Robert (Dana) of Vero Beach; David (Lisa) of Asheville, NC; Jeffrey (Elizabeth) of Shelton, CT; Kenneth (Dana) of Norwalk, CT; and Henry Jr. (Meredith) of Princeton, NJ – by 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her half-sister, Susan Freund, of Pound Ridge, NY.

A funeral service will be held at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Vero Beach on Thursday, July 6th at 11:00 AM. A reception will be held afterwards at The Moorings Harbour Side (1850 Bay Road, Vero Beach). Burial in Greenwich will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the VNA & Hospice Foundation (https://vnatc.org/waystogive/).

Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.