Maralyn Orbison Gillespie, longtime administrator at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, passed away on July 17. She was 98 years old.
A native of Indiana, Gillespie graduated from Swarthmore College in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. After obtaining her degree, she spent five years working for Curtis Publications in the editorial department of Country Gentleman magazine. She then returned to her alma mater, where she would stay for the next 37 years.
At Swarthmore, Gillespie served in several editorial and alumni relations roles. She was the senior editor for The Bulletin alumni magazine and ultimately served as the associate vice president of alumni administration. During her tenure, she helped establish the Alumni College Abroad Program. Along with her husband, George, Gillespie led many educational trips, taking her to 44 countries and 48 U.S. states. She retired from Swarthmore in 1992.