Mollie Mandle (nee Behrens, nee Lindner) of Collingswood and formerly of Haddonfield, died at the age of 88 from coronavirus on April 15.
Mollie was predeceased by her parents John and Wilhelmiene Behrens of Honesdale, Pa., and her sisters Ellen Hippensteel (Honesdale), and Joan Grimm, (Haddonfield). She was also predeceased by her first husband, Girard Lindner, (Red Bank, N.J.), and her second husband, Robert Mandle (Haddonfield). She is survived by her son, John Lindner, and her daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Greer. Additionally, she is survived by her seven grandchildren: Heidi Denham, (Lindner), Kristy Lindner, Lori Lindner, Katie Lindner, Kevin Greer, Christine Rockwell, (Greer) and Steven Greer. Mollie is survived by five great-grandchildren: Elliot, Harper, Kaylee, Kiera and Jamie.
Mollie lived her life full of adventure, creativity and a glass or two of wine. She touched so many people throughout her life, but did face challenges after losing her first husband, then years later her second husband, and after that, her California boyfriend.
Mollie was the first woman on her block in Haddonfield to work outside of the home. Her degree in fashion design from Moore College of Art led her to designing children’s clothing that were sold in the big Philadelphia department stores. She eventually left that work to find a job at a school so she’d have the same vacations as her school-aged children.
Bancroft School in Haddonfield benefited immensely from her creative talents as their art teacher. She always found ways for the students to succeed, like their fashioning string art or floats for the July 4th parades in Haddonfield. She was also a director at the Bancroft Camp in Maine, managing campers, staff, families with ease.
Mollie’s sense of adventure led her to worldwide travels. She met her California boyfriend on a cruise in the Mediterranean; she loved the city of Paris as much as she loved the wilds of Macchu Picchu. She also, always, wanted to be Irish. Every summer we camped throughout New England among the mountains, lakes and ocean.
Mollie had many loves in her life. She dedicated most of her adulthood to raising my brother and I, and she so loved her grandchildren. Each grandchild loved her so much in return, helping fill her life — and then came the great-grandchildren.
There’s so much more: the symphony, making costumes for Plays and Players, her love of the beauty in Arizona and the Southwest, her ability to sew absolutely anything, her miniature scenes in egg shells. May she gently rest in the arms of those who went before her.
Donations in memory of Mollie may be made to either The Bancroft School, 311 Walton Ave., Mount Laurel, N.J. 08054 https://donate.bancroft.org/give/238586/#!/donation/checkout, or to the Philadelphia Orchestra www.philorch.org/donate/.
A Celebration of Life Gathering to honor Mollie will be held at a later date. Please refer to www.kainmurphy.com for updated information.
