MARCIA BABALAS

Marcia Aphrodite Babalas, 72, passed away on May 17, 2024, at Hudson Valley Hospice House in Hyde Park, N.Y. Born on Nov. 14, 1951, in Carlisle, Pa., she was the daughter of Peter and Lillie (Macheras) Babalas.

Marcia will be missed by her immediate family, her partner of 30 years, Tracy Hubert, their dogs Harper and Winston, her sister Karen Renesis of Norfolk, Karen’s husband Nick, their children Jerry, Lexie and Katie. She will also be missed by many close cousins, relatives and friends. 

Marcia was proud of her Greek heritage. She was rooted in her community and appreciated the traditions of her Greek Orthodox heritage.

After graduating from Old Dominion with a degree in English Literature, Marcia’s ambition led her to earn a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia. She moved to Los Angeles where she worked for almost 10 years as vice president in charge of design at the internationally known South California firm, Emmet Wemple. Marcia ventured out on her own and opened her own landscaping business, Babalas Designs (www.babalasdesign.com).

Over the years, Marcia contributed to a variety of remarkable design projects, including Paramount Studios, the Warner Brothers complex, West Hollywood Park, Del Mar Plaza, and many other commercial retail, and residential ventures. In 1990, Marcia won first prize at the World Expo in Seville, Spain for her entry the “American Pavillion.”

Marcia enjoyed gardening and beautifying all her surroundings, turning every place she lived into a garden paradise. She enjoyed art, fine food, wine, and living a life immersed in beauty and culture. Since 2012, she lived in Rhinebeck in the picturesque Hudson Valley of New York, where she and Tracy enjoyed fine dining, gorgeous public parks, gardens, and spent countless happy moments in the company of their dogs and many friends.

In 2015 Marcia joined the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess, a Garden Club of America member. Everyone including the club's Master Gardeners were amazed at her knowledge of plants, including both their botanical and Latin names. She participated in the O&D projects with a special interest in the revitalization of an Olmsted and Vaux 1890s park located in the mid-Hudson Valley. Her design expertise and congenial way with people made her a valued member of the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Marcia's memory to Hudson Valley Hospicehttps://www.hvhospice.org/donate-now/ or the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess County, c/o Susan Gillender, O&D Treasurer, 5 Catherine St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

Local funeral arrangements have been trusted to Harrison Funeral Home in Lexington. The wake will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at Harrison Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 29, at Harrison Funeral Home with burial to follow at Stonewall Jackson Cemetery.