Marian Dunham Elkinton, 98, kindergarten teacher

Marian Dunham Elkinton, 98, formerly of Media, who taught kindergarten in Quaker schools, died June 13 of pneumonia at White Horse Village, a retirement community in Newtown Square.

Mrs. Elkinton grew up on a wheat farm in Alberta. She earned a bachelor's degree in home economics at Oregon State University. In the late 1930s, she joined the staff of the American Youth Hostels in Northfield, Mass., where she met her future husband, David, who also worked there. He died in 2003.

During the summer of 1939, she led a group of young cyclists through Europe, sailing home days before World War II broke out, her son Thomas said.

Married in 1940, the Elkintons moved to Moylan, Delaware County, in 1943. In the mid-1950s, after her three children were in school, she worked as a classroom assistant and taught kindergarten at Wilmington Friends School. Then, she spent 11 years at Media-Providence Friends School teaching kindergarten, including special classes she introduced for young children who were developmentally delayed.

She and her husband, who served on the MPFS board, received the school's Murry Engle Lauser Cornerstone Award for their dedication.

In 1976, Mrs. Elkinton became a founding board member of the Stratford Friends School in Newtown Square for children with learning disabilities.

She and her husband traveled widely, across the United States and abroad. They were avid genealogists and often scheduled trips to courthouses to research records, their son said.

Mrs. Elkinton, who was descended from two Mayflower passengers, published histories of both her maternal and paternal families and enjoyed helping friends trace their roots.

In 1989, she and her husband were among the original residents of White Horse Village. They were on the welcoming committee for many years.

In addition to her son Thomas, Mrs. Elkinton is survived by sons David and Stephen; a sister; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at Media Friends Meeting, 125 W. Third St, Media.