Mary Emily Twilley

Mary Emily Twilley, born July 12, 1930, passed away on Feb. 2, 2018 in Arcadia, FL. She was the daughter of the late Paul and Elsie Layfield Adkins of Salisbury, MD. On her parents’ 25th wedding anniversary, November 19, 1949, she married Norris B. Twilley, who passed away August 21, 2008. They lived in both rural Delmar, MD, and Arcadia, FL.

After graduating from Wicomico High School in 1947, she attended Towson State Teachers College for two years. She graduated from Salisbury State College in January 1960, and taught for 30½ years at Delmar Maryland Elementary School and Westside Intermediate School in Hebron, MD, retiring in 1990. She was a member of Snethen United Methodist Church where she held various offices and taught Sunday School for many years. Mrs. Twilley was a charter member of Tau Chapter, Alpha Delta Kappa, a society for women educators.

She and her husband spent many years traveling in their RV throughout the United States. After their retirements they spent their winters in southwest Florida, which was her special love. There she spent many hours playing cards, especially Pinochle and Bid Euchre, two of her favorite card games. She became a Florida resident after her husband passed away, living in their home in Big Tree Park in Arcadia.

She is survived by her sons, David, rural Delmar, MD, and Steve (wife, Robin), Milford, DE. She is also survived by grandchildren: Jason (Jonna), Josh (Alison), Joe Derbyshire (Aspyn), Brandon, Tyler, and Emily. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren: Kaia Twilley, Cade Nutter, Brooklyn Torrey, Presley Twilley, Addison Derbyshire, and Dylan Derbyshire. Her brother, Sam Adkins, predeceased her. His widow, Mary, lives in Salisbury.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, February 24 at 2pm where friends may visit one hour prior to the service at Bounds Funeral Home on East Main Street in Salisbury. Her cremains will be interred in the Twilley family plot in Mardela Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Double Mills Restoration Project at Double Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 120, Mardela Springs, MD 21837 or to the Adkins Historical and Museum Complex, Inc., P.O. Box 160, Mardela Springs, Md. 21837.