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Marian Boykin, tireless organizer

IF YOU wanted to get something done for the community you called on Marian Elizabeth Boykin. "She was an organizer," said her son Elwood Boykin. "Anybody who needed to organize a party, community event, programs for kids or the elderly, called her."

IF YOU wanted to get something done for the community you called on Marian Elizabeth Boykin.

"She was an organizer," said her son Elwood Boykin. "Anybody who needed to organize a party, community event, programs for kids or the elderly, called her."

And Marian was not the type of organizer who put an event or program together and let other people do the work. She was out there on the front lines every time.

"She was hands-on," her son said.

Marian Boykin, vice president of the Millcreek Council, the busy community center of which she was a driving force for 30 years, died of cancer Aug. 17. She was 75 and lived in West Philadelphia.

In her role with the community center, Marian could be found teaching sewing, ceramics and computer science. She also took food boxes to the needy the first week of every month in the food program that she developed.

"She started with about 30 families, and it grew to over 100," her son said. "She would be out there handing out the boxes herself."

The center also had programs for children, including Christmas parties at which the late Charles Wingfield, former president of the Millcreek Council and Marian's longtime companion, would play Santa.

"There would be a ton of toys," Elwood said, "and she bought them herself. Christmas was her favorite time."

Every summer, she took a couple of dozen youngsters to Wildwood, packing their lunches and hiring the buses.

Marian never seemed to run out of energy. "She was always up and ready to go," her son said. "I never heard her say she was tired. She'd work 16 hours a day taking care of others. She was very pleasant and outgoing. She enjoyed being with people."

Marian was born in Philadelphia to Marian and Jesse Brown. She graduated from South Philadelphia High School and, after taking a nursing course, went to work as a nursing assistant at the Norristown State Hospital.

After about 16 years there, she was employed at the Philadelphia Food Bank as a data clerk until her health began to fail her in 2006.

In 2006, the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority presented her with its Finer Womanhood Award for her community service.

A multitalented woman, Marian taught various skills at the Millcreek Center, at 4917 Aspen Street, which housed a room with patterns and sewing machines where she taught sewing.

She was a skilled seamstress and made clothes for her children as they were growing up and for other family members and friends.

She also was accomplished in ceramics and mastered computer skills so that she could teach both. She also volunteered at the Haddington Senior Center, in West Philadelphia.

Marian enjoyed traveling, She visited many sites in the U.S. and took cruises to the Caribbean.

Her marriage to Edward Boykin ended in divorce. Besides her son, she is survived by three other sons, Edward, Michael and Steven; two daughters, Marian Boykin II and Tracey Barnes; a sister, Margaret Brown; 31 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. tomorrow at Christ Community Baptist Church, 1224 N. 41st St. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park, West Chester.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1626 Locust St., Philadelphia 19103.