Marianne P. Eismann ’79

Marianne Eismann, a classmate of great heart and wit, died Oct. 19, 2011, in Newbury Park, Calif., after a long battle with ovarian cancer. She was 53.

Born in New York City, Marianne came to Princeton from St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn. She was a member of the Cloister Inn and a staffer at The Daily Princetonian. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English, Marianne earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Chicago. A Dickens, Dante, and Shakespeare scholar, she taught writing and literature at Chicago and later at Wake Forest University.

She was a caring, passionate, and erudite educator, and loved hiking and the New York Yankees, but one of her greatest joys came in rescuing dogs. Marianne was a member of the Regional Schools Committee and a class secretary; she also organized our 25th-reunion blood drive.

Princeton friends supported her in the Cedars-Sinai Ovarian Cancer 5K in the last year of her life. She insisted that her memorial service be a celebration with laughter, good food, and her favorite music — and it was. Marianne is survived by her husband, Alejandro Benes; her parents, Bernard and Suzanne Eismann; her brother, Jonathan; and a sister-in-law, aunt, and two nieces. We extend our condolences to Marianne’s family and friends.