Deerfield Community Says Goodbye to Izzy Marley ’11

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.”