Marie Louise Hummel, 82, of Lebanon, PA, passed away on July 14, 2026, at the Cedar Haven Healthcare Center in Lebanon, PA.
Born on Feb. 25, 1944, she was the daughter of Sarah Hummel (Peters) and Harold Hummel, of Lebanon, PA. She was the second of five children of Sarah and Harold.
Shortly after graduating from South Lebanon Township High School, of Lebanon, PA, in 1962, Marie married Thomas Sevco and started a family, having two children, Kyrrha and Joel Sevco. Marie and Tom Sevco divorced in 1971. Marie later married James Dwyer and had one child, Gregory Dwyer, in 1973. Marie and James divorced in 1996. Marie drove school bus for the Cornwall-Lebanon School District for 28 years, from 1983 to 2011.
Outside of work and raising three children, Marie loved all types of music, especially jazz, blues, and classical. She was a self-trained “hobby” artist and was talented at many arts and crafts, such as fiber arts (quilting and sewing), watercolor painting, collaging, and drawing/illustrating. Her creativity and eye for color and design seemed endless, fueled by a passion for travel, literature, philosophy, and learning about other cultures and people.
Her study of yoga in the 1980s at Carol’s Hatha Yoga Studio, of Annville, PA, laid the foundation for her self-study of eastern religions, specifically Buddhism and Jainism. She was fond of studying Joseph Campbell, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and Thich Nhat Hanh and had a simple mantra she adhered to in her life: “Follow your Bliss.”
She instilled this curiosity in her children and encouraged them to be their best selves, be curious and explore the world, and endeavor to leave it a better place than they found it. Marie did the best she could to care for her children and love them, which was sometimes difficult because she carried the effects of the neglect and abuse she experienced growing up.
Marie is survived by her children, Kyrrha (Sevco), of Grants Pass, OR, Joel Sevco, of Harrisburg, PA, and Greg Dwyer, of York, PA; granddaughter, Kayhla Meyers; great-grandchildren, Ethan, Blair, and Brody; and sister, Velva Lehman, of Lebanon, PA. Three of Marie’s siblings preceded her in death: Frederick A. “Fritz” Hummel, of Lebanon, PA, James Hummel, of Lebanon, PA, and Patricia Hummel, of Lebanon, PA.
Marie will be remembered for her perseverance in the face of many life challenges, especially those experienced during a difficult and traumatic childhood, a lifelong curiosity for different cultures and people, a love of traveling, food, music, and literature, and a passion for gardening, the outdoors, and practicing yoga. Often misunderstood and sometimes maligned by others, she charted her own path in this life, and her independent nature and unconventional outlook sometimes created conflict with those she loved most. She always strove to better herself and her situation with a strong will and remarkable resilience, and it was her mission to leave the world a better place for those who followed her. After living with a six-year progression of Lewy body dementia, her suffering has now ended, and she can fully be at peace with her ancestors.
Marie donated her body to the Humanity Gifts Registry, of Philadelphia, PA, where it will be used at the Hershey Medical Center for teaching and research by future medical professionals. Marie’s service of life will be included in a group service at a future date in Hershey for families of individuals who donated their bodies to study and research. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, lbda.org.
– The Sevco/Dwyer Family
