Eliot - Marcia (Delnickas) Walenta, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and friend, passed away on Friday, March 19, 2021. Marcia was born on February 12, 1940, to George and Lena (Zera) Delnickas and grew up in Enfield, CT. Marcia received a nursing degree from the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing and early in her career worked as both an operating and emergency room nurse at the Tufts Medical Center. On November 13, 1965, she married Edward Walenta and together they raised three children, Amy, Edward and Emily.

In 1979, Eddie and Marcia moved their family to Madbury, NH, where Marcia became the school nurse at Oyster River Elementary School and then Moharimet Elementary School where she worked for a total of 22 years. Always ready with a hug or a lifesaver to share, Marcia had many "regulars" over the years — students who would stop in for a chat or just to take a break from class, flip over one of the many timers she kept on her desk, and watch the bubbles rise and fall. Understanding that school nursing was often more about emotional care than physical care, Marcia went back to school and earned a BS in psychology in 1992.

Marcia was a true caretaker of her community, both in and out of school. During the holiday season, her office was filled to overflowing with food and gifts for families in need in the surrounding communities – work she continued year-round and earned her the Citizen of the Year award from the Durham/Great Bay Rotary Club in 1997. Marcia also received the AARP Retired Teacher of the Year award in 2013 for her volunteerism.

Marcia loved gardening, live music, and theater. She loved violets and one particular chocolate cake. She loved good food, good books, and had wonderful friends. But her pride and joy were her grandchildren. She was never happier than when spending time with them or watching them play the sports they love — she hardly ever missed a game. Marcia is survived by her husband, Edward J. Walenta; brother Robert Delnickas (Mystic, CT); son, Edward T. Walenta (Cape Neddick, ME), daughters Amy Shambo (Rye, NH) and Emily Leach (Rollinsford, NH), their spouses Sara, Shawn and Nathaniel; and grandchildren Grant and Luke Shambo, Reese, Quinn and Mason Walenta, and Oscar and Whistle Leach. Marcia was predeceased by her grandson Forrest Leach.

No public ceremony will be held at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Marcia can be made to David's House at davids-house.org/donate or 461 Mt. Support Rd. Lebanon, NH 03766.