Lebanon, New Hampshire- Marie B. Yeager, 58, died peacefully at her home in Lebanon surrounded by family and friends, Monday, November 7, 2011. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer earlier this year that led to a brief but inspiring and courageous battle with cancer. Born Marie Ellen Barry in Medford, MA on August 31st, 1953, she was the daughter of Daniel L. and Ellen C. (Breen) Barry. Marie graduated from St. James High School in Medford and attended Malden Hospital School of Nursing before moving to the Upper Valley to attend the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia. Shortly after graduation from Nurse Anesthesia School she met and married the love of her life, Mark P. Yeager. They were married in the North Thetford Federated Church (now the United Church of Thetford) September 12th, 1981. The couple lived in North Thetford before moving to Lebanon in 1987. Their first child, Adessa, was born in 1986 followed by a son, Matthew, in 1987, and second daughter, Sarah, in 1989. After the birth of her first child, Marie began working to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Nursing at Norwich University. With three young children at home, Marie continued her nursing career while completing a Master's degree in Nursing at Boston College. Her professional accomplishments and activities in nursing were many, ranging from providing healthcare service as a hospital-based Nurse Practitioner to working in research that led to approval of an HPV vaccine and most recently providing primary care to veterans in their homes through the White River Junction VA Medical Center.

Marie's greatest joy came from being with her family. Her lively personality was always seeking ways to express her love as a wife and mother. Though she adored her family and spent almost all her spare time in their company, Marie was always eager to open her home to her many friends, old and new, throughout the years. Marie had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh often, a trait born of her Irish ancestry to which she felt deeply connected. She visited Ireland several times with family. Marie had a deep respect and adoration for nature, was often found gardening or enjoying the hummingbirds that came to feed by her home. She was a life-long dog lover, having adopted several rescue dogs.

Marie is survived by her husband Mark P. Yeager, MD of Lebanon, NH; her 3 children: Adessa, a Teach For America corps member in Lawrence, Massachusetts; Matthew, a graduate student in chemical engineering at the University of New Hampshire; and Sarah, a senior at the College of William and Mary in Virginia; by her mother, Ellen Barry of Wells, ME, and by her brothers Michael Barry of West Boylston, MA and William Barry of Wells, ME. Two other brothers, Daniel and Kevin, died of muscular dystrophy at a young age leading to Marie's constant support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 12th, 2011, at 2:00 PM in the First Congregational Church of Lebanon followed immediately by a reception at the Top of the Hop next to the Hanover Inn in Hanover, NH. Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 East Sunrise Dr., Tucson, AZ 85718.