Marian Elizabeth Taylor Tyrance, 105, of Washington, DC peacefully passed away on November 28, 2025. She was born on January 29, 1920 to Willie Ola and John Livingston Taylor in Ringgold, Virginia and was the oldest of eight children to her loving parents. She is survived by her three daughters, Carol Tyrance Graves, Dianne Tyrance-Neal (Eddie) and Linda Tyrance-Strickland (Tim), three grandchildren, Erika E. Seabrooks, James H. Neal (Kim) and Tia L. Strickland, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.

Marian attended schools in Ringgold and Gretna Virginia before attending Virginia State College. In 1940, she graduated from Virginia State College where she met the love of her life, Herman J. Tyrance. After graduation they reconnected, married, and eventually moved from his home in Attleboro, Massachusetts to Washington D.C., when her husband accepted a teaching position at Howard University. 

Marian became an educator who taught math and science in the D.C. Public Schools, where she was pleased to have received the Teacher of the Year Award in 1970 before her retiring in 1980. 

Marian was also very active in her community and church and received several acknowledgements for her service and years of dedication through her over sixty years in her church, St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Washington DC. She and her husband were long-time members of St. Luke’s, which they joined in the 1950’s.

Marian was a Charter Donor and Member of the National Council of Negro Women and longtime member of the NAACP. Additionally, she was a proud and loyal Diamond member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., representing over seventy-five years of service, where she was initiated in 1947 at the Psi Omega Chapter in Boston, Mass. 

Marian always shared several of her most memorable moments as a member of the sorority, with the first as welcoming Soror and Founder Marie Woofolk Taylor and her daughter in her home during the 28th Boule in Washington during the segregation within city & hotels. She also shared another memorable moment as becoming a Golden Soror in person at the Chicago Boule in 1998. However, her most memorable moment was welcoming her many family members including her sister, three daughters, her granddaughter, and several nieces.

Marian was a member of the DC Kappa Silhouettes and was one of the charter members who worked to lay the foundation of the Washington DC Chapter, which is an auxiliary organization for wives and widows of members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. She had served as the National First Vice President at one time and for several years, she was recognized as the official and unofficial Historian.

In January of 2025, Marian welcomed her 5th year as a Centenarian where her close friends and family members honored her by their gathering at one of her favorite restaurants, Copper Canyon.  Marian’s greatest love was her family, and she was so proud of them all. She has three daughters, grandchildren, sons-in-law, and extended family members who all love her right back! 

Should one so desire, donations may be made to the Pearl and Ivy Educational Foundation’s (PIEF), (Marian Taylor Tyrance Endowment Scholarship), or to the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund, Inc. ® (KSEF), (Herman & Marian Tyrance Scholarship Fund).

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