WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Marcella (Hewitt) Rauscher, 82, passed away Sunday, December 17, 2017, after a brief illness at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Marcella was born June 4, 1935, in Ithaca, N.Y., to Harlan Douglas Hewitt and Kathleen (Avent) Hewitt, and spent most of her childhood living in and around Ithaca. At the age of 15, Marcella began studies at Ithaca College, and graduated the day of her 19th birthday with a major in piano and a minor in violin.

Marcella was also an aspiring classical music vocalist. While Marcella was at Ithaca College, her husband-to-be Daniel Rauscher was attending graduate school at nearby Cornell and taking voice lessons at Ithaca. He introduced himself to Marcella after hearing her sing. They were married shortly after her graduation.

Marcella and Dan successively lived in Fort Wayne, New York City and then Mountainville, N.J., where they started a family. In 1965, they moved to Williamstown, Massachusetts, where they would spend the next 38 years.

Marcella spent on the order of 20 years working for Williams College as a librarian/research assistant for the Center for Environmental Studies, where she became a beloved figure to numerous students and professors. A lifelong learner, she developed an environmentalist streak and became active in a wide range of local environmental and conservation efforts. Marcella remained engaged as a musician as well, most notably as a board member and violinist for 25 years with the Sage City Symphony in nearby Bennington, Vt.

Marcella and Dan moved to Coopersburg, Penn., in 2003. Marcella continued to play in local orchestras, including the Moravian College Community Orchestra and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra until she was nearly 80. She also took great pleasure in her son Guy's involvement in the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, and she and Guy both became part of that family. Marcella remained an avid gardener well beyond the point where she could keep up with the weeding.

Marcella is remembered by friends and family for her indomitable spirit and unfailing loyalty, selflessness and kindness.

Marcella was predeceased by her husband Dan, in 2009, as well as by her brother Guy Hewitt. She leaves a son, Hugh Rauscher, his wife Nancy and their children Henry and Charlotte of Williamstown, Mass.; a son, Guy Rauscher of Coopersburg, Penn.; a son Garth Rauscher, his children Maddelena and Robin, and his wife Genita Robinson of Chicago, Ill.; a brother John Hewitt and his wife Maureen Hewitt of Baton Rouge, La.; and a loving Pennsylvania family circle including Ellen Rauscher, Debbie Rauscher, Ruth Malachowski, Alan Malachowski, Stacy Malachowski and Rochelle Smetherham.

Funeral notice: Marcella's life will be celebrated in a private remembrance.