Marie H. Spencer, 97, of West Grove, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 31. She was the wife of Bryan Spencer who died in 2000, and with whom she shared 55 years of marriage.
Marie H. Spencer
She was the daughter of the late Mary Kelly and Irving Chambers and was born on May 17, 1925; Marie grew up in Hockessin.
Marie is survived by one daughter, Judy Hoopes and her husband Richard of West Grove; three grandsons, Bryan Hoopes and his wife Gwen, Kevin Hoopes and his wife Lauren, Eric Hoopes and his wife JoAnne; two great-grandchildren Logan Hoopes and Jordon Hoopes, and several nieces and nephews.
Marie was predeceased by 11 brothers and sisters.
She retired as a fabricator from NVF in Kennett Square. She and Bryan loved spending time at their cottage on the Elk River; something she enjoyed up to this year. Through the years she hosted many parties and reunions; was an avid decorator for the seasons and holidays, and her favorite pastime was baking delicious desserts to share with her family and friends. Most importantly she loved her family very much and loved spending time with them.
She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and will be deeply missed.
The family would like to thank all her caregivers for their dedicated and loving care over the past year.
You are invited to visit with her family and friends from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Assumption BVM Catholic Church, 300 State Road in West Grove. Her funeral mass will follow at 10. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Ashland, Del.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 399 Market Street, Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106 orwww.alz.org/donate
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com
Arrangements by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square.
Art events are in full swing throughout the region! Take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and explore all the exhibitions, fests, and fairs this November in the Brandywine Valley. Check websites and social media for updated health and safety measures for each venue.
Is there anything better than rambling through a big old building full of treasures? Aston Mill Arts (formerly Heron Studios/Heron Crest Studios) has something for every art lover at their Fine Art Show. November 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th, from 11 am to 5 pm, over thirty artists will be displaying their works in studios and galleries throughout the building. Aston Mill Arts is located at 3100 Mount Road, Aston, PA 19014. More information about both the show and the studios can be found at AstonMillArts.com.
Layers of art history combine at the new show at the Church Street Gallery. Martin Campos returns with his figurative oils, joined by the Baroque- Rococo-inspired enchanting paintings from Victoria Koursaros, who is showing at the gallery for the first time. Explore this gallery and others during First Friday in West Chester. The Church Street Gallery is at 12 S. Church Street, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at ChurchStreetGalleryWC.com.
Media Arts Council presents another set of innovative exhibitions through November. Open from November 4th through November 27th, you can see Light after the Storm by Matiko Mamaladze, Winter’s Edge: Paintings of Iceland by Carrie Barcomb, Healing by Laurie Doran, and the Aston Mill Arts Group Show. An Opening Reception will be held Friday, November 4th from 5 to 7 pm. The MAC Arts Center is located at 11 E. State Street, Media, PA. More information can be found at MediaArtsCouncil.org.
The Chester County Art Association brings works from over a hundred artists from The Philadelphia Water Color Society throughout their galleries from November 1st through November 30th. An Opening Reception will be held Sunday, November 6th from 5 to 7 pm. A Jewelry Showcase will be held in the ShopArt store in the CCAA through November as well. The CCAA is located at 100 North Bradford Avenue, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at ChesterCountyArts.org.
Start the season off cheerfully at the Home for the Holidays Outdoor Artisan Craft Market at The Main Line Art Center on Sunday, November 20th from 11 to 4 pm. While you are there, don’t miss INTICACY: The 19th Annual Betsy Meyer Memorial Exhibition, on view November 11th to December 22nd. Featuring artists Becca Barolli, Agathe Bouton, and Eric Stanley, all presenting works in different mediums, the visually stunning show is juried by Susanna Gold. An opening reception on November 12th from 6 to 8 pm (prior registration required) will feature artist talks, music, and refreshments. The Main Line Art Center is located at 746 Panmure Road, Haverford, PA. More information can be found at MainLineArt.org.
The Bad Side, Tamara Hutchinson, Station Gallery
Welcome solo shows back to The Station Gallery after a two-year hiatus at the Opening Reception for Sunlight Event, a new exhibition by Michele Green, on Friday, November 4th from 5 to 8 pm. The exhibition is on view from November 4th through the 26th. The Station Gallery is located at 3922 Kennett Pike, Greenville, DE. More information can be found at StationGallery.net.
Take a walk around campus to see the art exhibitions at West Chester University. The Knauer Art Gallery is showing the WWII Poster Show from November 7th to December 19th, with an Opening Reception on November 10th. In the John H. Baker Gallery in the E. O. Bull Center for the Arts, there is a dynamic, Not That Brandywine Tradition shows a new perspective through December 9th. The E. O. Bull Center for the Arts is located at 2 E. Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA. For more information, check WCUPA.edu/arts-humanities/artdesign and on Instagram @artsatwcu.
Autumn Splendor is shown in all its artistic glory at the Square Pear Gallery, with works by over a dozen local artists. The Square Pear Gallery is located at 200 East State Street, Kennett Square, PA. More information can be found at SquarePearGallery.com.
Drop by the David Katz Gallery during First Friday in Downtown West Chester from 5 to 9 pm to see new works, including from their popular Cloud Formations series. The David Katz Gallery is located at 128 East Gay Street, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at DavidKatzGallery.com.
Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art is on view in two galleries at the Brandywine River Museum of Art through January 8th. This exhibition examines the fragility of the environment and our relationship with it through works by Mark Dion, Courtney Mattison, and others. It will include a site-specific installation and a commissioned mural that relates to the native flora and fauna of the Brandywine Valley. Plus the famous Brandywine Railroad returns November 19th through January 8th for its Fiftieth Year! The Brandywine River Museum is located at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA. More information can be found online at Brandywine.org/Museum.
The Wild Clay Exhibit opens at The Art Trust September 28th and runs through November 4th. Featuring the work of Gerald Brown, Sam Diamond, and Austin Takashi Jefferson, and curated by Andrew Snyder, all objects are made with clay harvested from local sources. An Artists’ Talk will be held on Thursday, November 3rd from 7 to 8 pm. The Art Trust is located at 16 West Market Street, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at TheArtTrust.org.
Non-profits take the spotlight at the Oxford Arts Alliance for their First Friday The Great Give on November 4th. There will be a pumpkin carving contest and more. Also on November 4th from 5 to 8 pm is the opening for Perceptual Bodies, a solo show by Lillie Spotts in The Emerging Artist Gallery, on view until December 16th. The Oxford Arts Alliance is at 38 S. Third Street, Oxford, PA. More information can be found at OxfordArt.org.
Surf, Randall Graham, Gallery 222
Step outside at Gallery 222 with all new work from artists Randall Graham and Elise Phillips. See the artwork in person at the Opening Reception Thursday, November 10th from 5:30 to 8 pm. The show is on view November 10th until November 26th. Gallery 222 is located at 222 East King Street, Malvern, PA. More information can be found at Gallery222Malvern.com.
A Retrospective Show of Doris Davis-Glackin is on view at the Howard Pyle Studio, along with new artwork by Members of the Studio Group. A reception will be held Friday, November 4th from 5 to 7:30 pm. A long-time member of the Studio Group, Davis-Glackin’s watercolor paintings have been exhibited in museums and other locations throughout the world. Live music and refreshments will be provided Friday evening during the monthly Wilmington Art Loop. The Howard Pyle Studio is located at 1305 North Franklin Street, Wilmington, DE. More information can be found at HowardPyleStudio.org. The Wilmington Art Loop is held every First Friday in Downtown Wilmington. A complimentary shuttle will run between the stops from The Delaware Contemporary, 200 South Madison Street, Wilmington, DE, DEContemporary.org. More information, including all the stops and featured artists and shows on the Loop, can be found at ArtLoopWilmington.org.
Looking for more events happening through the month? Check out @BrandywineArtGuide on Instagram and Facebook!
Victoria Rose (she/her) is an editor, writer, avid reader, self-described geek, and fan of all things creative. Her passion for words has led to her current career as a freelance editor, and she is the owner of Flickering Words, an editing service. When not wielding a red pen (or cursor), she loves reading books of all genres, playing video, board, and word games, baking ridiculous creations to show off on the internet, or enjoying the gorgeous outdoors. She is a board member of the West Chester Film Festival and part of the Thirsty Monsters, a team of streamers from around the world who fundraise for various charities supporting LGBTQIA+ and accessibility rights. She can be found online @WordsFlickering or the Brandywine Art Guide @BrandywineArtGuide.
Meetings and polling places usually held at the Kennett Township building will be held elsewhere while remediation and repair work continues in the township’s meeting room.
Kennett Township residents who normally vote in elections at the township building will instead vote at Bethany Presbyterian at 316 Kennett Pike, according to a press release. Election Day in Pennsylvania is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
“On Oct. 6, the Chester County Board of Elections voted upon a request to change voting locations from the Kennett Township building to Bethany Presbyterian,” the press release said.
Additionally, all meetings in November will continue to be held at the New Garden Township meeting. Wednesday’s meeting was held there, and the Nov. 19 supervisors’ meeting is slated to be held there as well.
The Aug. 17 meeting was held at the East Marlborough Township building and September’s meetings were held at New Garden.
The Aug. 17 supervisors’ meeting was held at East Marlborough Township’s municipal building, and meetings in September and October have been held at the New Garden Township building on Starr Road.
“In August mold growth was discovered on the carpet and tables in the meeting room,” according to a policy briefing by Denise Serino with the township’s Finance and HR Department. “Humidity level testing was performed, and two walls had high levels. Mold N More came out to perform mold testing on all three floors as well as air sampling. The results showed that the lower level was impacted only.”
The township has contracted with Tucks Waterproofing of Coatesville to remediate the mold and waterproof the lower level of the township building.
Monica Thompson Fragale is a freelance reporter who spent her life dreaming of being in the newspaper business. That dream came true after college when she started working at The Kennett Paper and, years later The Reporter newspaper in Lansdale and other dailies.
She turned to non-profit work after her first daughter was born and spent the next 13 years in that field.
But while you can take the girl out of journalism, you can’t take journalism out of the girl. Offers to freelance sparked the writing bug again started her fingers happily tapping away on the keyboard.
Monica lives with her husband and two children in Kennett Square.
• Phillies Fever has reached the Chadds Ford area as the above photo of a merchandise stand at the Sunoco station at Routes 1 and 202 shows. Several members of Concord Township Council also wore Phillies jerseys during their Nov. 1 meeting. The Phillies and Houston Astros are tied at two games a piece in the best of seven World Series.
•The Chester County Council, in cooperation with the Desmond Hotel, Malvern, and keynote speaker William Mott, requests the honor of your presence at the annual Veterans Recognition Breakfast to celebrate those who have served. Breakfast begins at 7 on Friday, Nov. 11. The program starts at 7:30 and the event wraps up at 9 a.m. The Desmond Hotel is at 1 Liberty Boulevard, Malvern PA 19355. Contact Doug Pinard at doug.pinard@scouting.org for more information.
Discover nature’s therapeutic ability at Mt. Cuba Center.
•Can nature be therapeutic? Yes, according to horticulture therapist Kathy Andrzejewski. Andrzejewski will teach therapeutic horticulture strategies to enhance health and well-being at Mt. Cuba Center on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon. Andrzejewski will provide participants with a take-home tool kit containing a variety of interactive horticulture-based activities to use on their own. The class will include a lecture and outside activities. Please dress for the weather. The cost is $29. Go here to register.
•Members of the Concord Township Parks and Recreation Committee might be channeling their own inner Leo Sayers tune “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” since that’s what they want to happen. It’s the Concord Adult Social & Dance Party planned for 7-10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, at the BYC Gymnasium at 41 S. Thornton Road. Dance to the hits of the 1970s/80s, and 90s. It’s a free event with food and drink available for purchase. If interested, let them know by emailing parksandrec@concordtownship.org.
•The Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates are holding a Harvest Fest event at Brandywine Battlefield Park on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors will be selling honey, kitchen items, games, toys, decorated and make-and-take gourds, and face painting sessions will be on hand. Colonial trades, dancing, and cooking will also be demonstrated. Tours of the Ring House (Washington’s Headquarters) are at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and tours of the Gilpin House are at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $7 for Seniors, AAA, AARP; and $5 for youth (ages 3-11).
Learn the stories of prominent citizens buried at Oakland’s Cemetery.
•The Chester County Historical Society is offering a walking tour of the Oaklands Cemetery on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Many of West Chester’s leading citizens are buried at Oaklands Cemetery, including retired U.S. Marine Gen. Smedley Butler who penned the piece “War is a Racket.” But many stories remain untold. Join the education staff of the Chester County History Center to learn the true tales of the soldiers, statesmen, lawyers, doctors, musicians, athletes, artists, and more that found their final rest at this garden cemetery outside of West Chester. The cost is $20, and tickets are available here.
•Saturday, Oct. 29 saw a combination of events in Chadds Ford Township. It was the semiannual roadside cleanup along with a recycling and shredding event. Also, members of the Chadds Ford Open Space Committee gave out hybrid American Chestnut trees to the first 100 residents interested in planting them on their property.
Members of the Chadds Ford Township Residents association gather at the municipal building before heading out to pick up trash during the semiannual roadside cleanup.Chadds Ford Open Space Committee Chairman Pete Mattis gives a young hybrid American Chestnut tree to a resident at the township building.
In a quick Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday night, township Manager Matt Baumann gave a very brief rundown of the timeline for adopting the 2023 budget. No numbers were yet ready, but he said the tax rate would continue to be one of the two lowest in Delaware County.
He said a full presentation would be ready for the Nov. 30 work session and the budget would be up for a vote on Dec. 21.
Instead of adjourning the meeting, supervisors voted to continue the session to next Thursday, Nov. 10 at 9 a.m. for a fuller budget discussion.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
