Marilee Swirczek biography: 15 things about teacher born in Sharon, Pennsylvania

WNC Professor Marilee Swirczek, driving force behind ‘Always Lost’ war exhibition, dies https://t.co/cMPzfLM7YS pic.twitter.com/r6sMkn8KIr

— Carson Now (@carsonnow) July 18, 2016

Who was Marilee Swirczek?

Marilee Rocco Swirczek was an American teacher born in Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States to Peter Samuel Rocco and Alice Tyson, who is married to Tom Tyson. Swirczek is the stepsister of Laura Tyson and Tom Tyson Jr.

Before marrying Ronald C. Swirczek, Marilee had three children with her first husband Tudor Chirila Jr. namely Jennifer Hope Chirila, Stephanie Faith Chirila and John Peter Chirila. Marilee and Tudor lived in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Marilee was raised in Pennsylvania and she started teaching after earning her master’s degree in education. Here are 15 more things about her:

1. In 1960, her grandmother Mary Elia Rocco died at the age of 72.
2. On September 26, 1963, her father died in Sharon at the age of 43.
3. On March 11, 1971, Tudor reported their car stolen from the parking lot of the Kawailoa School for Girls in Kailua, Hawaii. The car was recovered on March 15, 1971.
4. In 1979, she gave birth to Jennifer, who later married Joel Locke.
5. In 1980, she gave birth to Stephanie, who later married Jorden Reid Swart.
6. In 1982, she gave birth to John, who later married Danielle Chirila.
7. From 1987 to 1990, she served on the Carson City Board of Supervisors in Carson City, Nevada, USA.
8. In 1990, she became a professor at Western Nevada College in Carson City, married Ronald and became the stepmother of his children Betty Swirczek and David Swirczek. Betty married John DeRicco while David married Jodi Swirczek.
9. In 1997, her uncle James L. Rocco died at age 80.
10. In 1998, her uncle Frank A. Rocco died at age 80.
11. In 2010, she received the Daughters of American Revolution Medal of Honor for her extraordinary patriotism. In the same year, her aunt Angela Marie Rocco May died in Farrell, Mercer County died at age 88.
12. Upon the death of Maya Angelou on May 28, 2014, she wrote, “I was thinking about her and her life today—she truly used her art to teach, to comfort, to witness. There’s a hole in the soul of the universe.”
13. On September 8, 2015, her sister Sandra Rocco Richman died in Gardnerville, Douglas County, Nevada at 65.
14. On November 23, 2015, she turned 68.
15. On July 17, 2016, she died in Carson City.

On January 7, 1972, Tudor allegedly fatally stabbed Nancy Anderson 63 times inside her apartment in Waikiki, Honolulu. On December 25, 2023, he was pronounced dead at a hospital while in the custody of the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.