Marianne Molly Prebil

Marianne Molly (Vidmar) Prebil, a longtime resident of Ellicott City, Maryland, and beloved matriarch of the Prebil and Vidmar families, died peacefully on June 7, 2026, at age 100. She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Louis Prebil. Together, they shared a deep Catholic faith and were devoted members of the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City. Blessed with a remarkable memory, keen intellect, and lifelong desire to help others, Marianne fulfilled many roles; but she would most want to be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, nurse, and teacher.

Marianne was born on October 4, 1925, in Chisholm, Minnesota, a mining town on the state’s northern Iron Range. Her parents, Anthony and Mary Pogorelz Vidmar, were first-and second-generation Americans whose families had immigrated from Slovenia (then part of the Austria-Hungary region). Marianne was the middle child between her older brother, James, and younger brother, William, who nicknamed her “Bae.” She remained close to both brothers, their wives, Patricia and Beth, and their extended families. Her parents owned 80 acres of forestland near spring-fed lakes in Chisholm, later known as the Vidmar Tree Farm, where Marianne developed her love of nature and near-encyclopedic knowledge of plants, flowers, and trees.

Growing up on the Iron Range during the Great Depression instilled in Marianne many lifelong values: the dignity of hard work, resilience in hardship, and the importance of strong friendships. She was a popular, motivated student who graduated with high honors from Chisholm High School in 1943 and magna cum laude from the five-year nursing program at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, where she also received the “Miss Integrity” award. She was the last surviving member of the “Dizzy Dozen,” a fun-loving group of childhood friends who remained close for nine decades.

Marianne began her teaching career in collegiate and diploma nursing programs in Duluth and Hibbing, Minnesota. During World War II, as many of her classmates joined the armed services, she moved to Portland, Oregon, with two fellow nursing graduates to work in a hospital caring for injured veterans. After her mother’s sudden death, she returned to Chisholm to help her father and younger brother. There she reconnected with her future husband, one of her brother Jim’s closest friends. Marianne and Louis were married on September 2, 1950, beginning the next chapter of their lives together.

Marianne supported Louis’s career as a hospital administrator, which took the family to Minneapolis, MN; Milwaukee, WI; Rock Island, IL; St. Joseph, MN; and Baltimore, MD. She was a devoted, engaging mother who raised five children in nine years while volunteering in many positions, including religious instruction, the hospital auxiliary, Boy Scouts, literary programs, and reading for the blind. After the family moved to Ellicott City in 1977, Marianne completed a nursing refresher course and continuing education courses and worked as a nurse instructor at Springfield Hospital Center until retiring in 1990.

In retirement, Marianne and Louis enjoyed hosting family and friends at large gatherings and caring for their beautiful home on Melba Road. An avid reader of fiction and nonfiction and a subscriber to three daily newspapers, Marianne stayed current on news, politics, and sports, especially the Orioles, Ravens, and Maryland Terrapins. Though a great listener, she was never shy about sharing her informed opinions. Her remarkable memory helped her remember the favorite activities of every grandchild, great-grandchild, niece, nephew, and spouse. Until her death, she sent birthday and holiday cards to friends and relatives.

In later life, Marianne endured many physical ailments, including a replaced hip and knees, arthritic shoulders, and hands so affected that she could barely hold a pencil or telephone. Yet her eyesight remained strong, and her bright, beautiful eyes reflected both compassion and attentiveness. Paraphrasing John Bierdorf’s book Healing with Purpose, her eyes communicated “the residue of solitary battles with angels, the costs of caring for others, the death of ambition and ego, and the peace that comes from having very little left to lose in this life.” Marianne’s deep faith and lifetime of good works prepared her, and those who loved her to take comfort in believing she had joined her husband in Heaven.

Marianne is survived by her four sons and one daughter: Richard (Tricia) Prebil of Inverness, Illinois; James (Christine) Prebil of Guerneville, California; William (Lori) Prebil of Edina, Minnesota; Paul (Pamela) Prebil of Bentonville, Arkansas; and Mary (Dan) Winicour of Vienna, Virginia; 12 grandchildren: Abigail (Thomas) McSweeney, Charles (Amber) Prebil, Sarah (Austin) Prebil, William (Angela) Prebil, Carolyn (Samuel) Noyd, James (Mary Kate) Prebil, Emerson (Brian) Bentley, Michael (Amy) Prebil, Kate (Ryan) Prebil, Madeline (Seamus) Prebil, Benjamin Winicour, and Rebecca Winicour; and 16 great-grandchildren: Gianna, Isaac, Sean, Leo, Dominic, Charlotte, Joseph, Louis, Fredric, Benjamin, Vanessa, Timothy, Catherine, Robert, Michael, and Lee.

The Prebil family deeply appreciates the care and kindness shown to Marianne by the staff of Heartlands Senior Living Center, Phyllis Angels Home Care, Cathy and Joe Melvin, Amy Jewby, and her loving relatives and neighbors.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at the Church of the Resurrection, 3175 Paulskirk Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042 with a visitation at 10:00 a.m. and a Mass at the Chapel at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Fund or the Church of the Resurrection, Ellicott City, MD.

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