Marcia E. Niemier

Nov. 8, 1949 - Nov. 22, 2018

SOUTH BEND, IN - Marcia E. Niemier, 69, of South Bend, died early Thursday morning, Nov. 22, after a 14-month battle with endometrial cancer, a battle she fought with determination and grace.

Marcia was born Nov. 8, 1949, in South Bend to Golden “Ed” and Geneva Smith, was the granddaughter of her beloved Helen “Granny” Finger, and was a life-long resident of South Bend. She graduated in 1968 from LaSalle High School, attended Indiana University in Bloomington, and earned a degree in education from I.U-South Bend. She was a second grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in South Bend for 25 years before retiring in 2012.

Marcia was a down-to-earth person who believed you should do the right thing, follow the rules, and be kind to others. She loved to teach and excelled at it. She cherished her family and friends, loved reading, enjoyed doing crosswords and anything creative, and had a soft spot in her heart for animals. But she most cherished being a wife, mother and most recently grandmother to her Little Peanut, Olivia Kathryn, and her Little Jelly Bean, Allison Corrine. She said many times that the best years of her life were the ones she spent at home being a mom. She so looked forward to being the kind of grandma every kid should have.

On Dec. 8, 1973, she married Gary Niemier. He survives with a son, Christopher, of Alpharetta, GA; two daughters, Robyn Herbert (Kevin) of Midlothian, VA and Annie (Matthew) Brock of Bremen, IN; and two beautiful granddaughters, Allison Brock and Olivia Herbert. Also surviving are three dear sisters, Nancy (David) Sherman, Carol (James) Basney, and Suzanne (Tom) Vanarsdall, and 11 nieces and nephews.

Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at St. Joseph Funeral Home, 824 S. Mayflower Rd., South Bend, where a Funeral Service will begin at 1 p.m.

Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or the ASPCA.

A special thanks to our gynecological/oncologist Dr. Nonyem Onujiogu, her staff, and the nurses in the Memorial Hospital infusion center. You became family to us and Marcia loved you for your care and compassion.

So my dear wife, thank you for 45 years of love and bringing three awesome human beings into this world with me. We will miss you so much! You always took such good care of us. And during this last 14 months, it was my turn to give back, to give you the love and special care you needed. You frequently said you were sorry I had to do some of the things for you that needed to be done. It was never a burden, but rather a privilege to help you through the difficult days. I am thankful we were able to go places and do some of the things we enjoyed before you didn't feel well enough to do them. I am grateful you were able to be here for the births of our first two grandchildren. Allison and Olivia didn't get to know you for very long, but I know they felt your love every time you held them. Your goals were to be a wife, mother, grandmother, and an educator. You accomplished all of them. So, Marcia, this is not goodbye, but just so long until we are together again, if I am lucky enough to make it to where you are now. All my love, Gary