Marian Agnes Schuyler, 82, of La Crosse died peacefully on Friday, January 11, 2013, at home. She was born May 26, 1930, in Chicago, to Morris and Agnes (Magnussen) Godiksen. In 1931, her family moved to a farm in Manning, Iowa, where she graduated from Manning High School in 1948. She then attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, where she graduated in 1952 with high distinction earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Because of her high academic achievement, she was initiated into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa society and was among the first women initiated into the Order of Artus, an honorary economics fraternity.

After graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in various capacities for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), ending her career there in covert operations. While working at the CIA, she attended evening classes to complete her first year of law school. To fulfill her lifetime dream of traveling overseas, she and three college friends traveled in Europe for six months in 1953-54.

While attending the University of Iowa, she met George Schuyler, whom she married in 1955 in Dallas, Texas, after returning from Europe. The couple moved to Chicago, where they had two children, Susan Schuyler and Michael (Cheryl) Schuyler, both of La Crosse.

The family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, in 1961. In the mid-1960s, Marian worked with the Inner-City Teaching Corps, an elite group of future leaders working to close the achievement gap in Chicago's urban schools. In the 1980s, Marian worked side-by-side with George at the Radiological Society of North America in Oak Brook, Illinois, where she eventually served as Interim Executive Director before the couple retired in La Crosse.

Throughout her life, Marian passionately loved learning. She audited several classes at Viterbo University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She also was active in book groups and discussion groups and an avid CSPAN "Book Notes" viewer. She instilled the love of learning in her grandchildren, who were almost daily visitors to her home while growing up.

She is survived by her husband and children; two grandsons, Paul Leehey IV and Schuyler Leehey of La Crosse; her sister Evelyn Apicelli of Chicago; her brother Vernon (Carol) Godiksen of Madison; and one niece Toni (Mark) Martin and one nephew Mark (Theresa) Godiksen. Marian also had a broad extended family of many cherished friends and neighbors, whom she held in loving regard.

She is preceded in death by her parents and two nieces, Cathy (Barry) Slott and Teri Apicelli.

Special thanks for the kind and compassionate end-of-life care by Dr. David Momont and the Gundersen Lutheran Hospice team.

The family is planning a private memorial at a later date. In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials are welcome to charities of the donor's choice.