Students and faculty gathered on September 16 to pay tribute to Vittoria Isabelle (Izzy) Marley ’11, who sustained a fatal head injury from an accidental fall off a golf cart on September 3 in Jamaica, her home country. Coming just a week before the new school year began, the news devastated students and faculty alike.
Izzy was about to return to campus as a four-year senior. She was a phenomenal golfer and led both the Deerfield golf team and the Jamaican junior team to numerous championships.
Izzy’s two close friends Rachel Gibson ’11 and Becky Levy ’11 arranged this special farewell. Dean of Students Toby Emerson, along with other deans, IT, and staff members, also worked to organize the event.
The memorial service began with greetings from Mr. Emerson and Head of School Margarita Curtis.
Short speeches from Izzy’s friends, teachers, and teammates followed; they reminded the audience of her unique spirit.
“Izzy wouldn’t have wanted this [service] to be about sadness and mourning, so we wanted to emphasize all the amazing things she had done,” said Gibson. Many members of the community later thanked Gibson and Levy for the commemoration.
“Izzy Marley was such a unique person…like a legend that will never die,” said Levy. “So thanks for the memories, Iz, and I know that your spirit will live on here at DA in all our days of glory, and here in our hearts forever.”