Obituaries
French Fan of U.S. History Passes
French native and long-time San Diego resident with ties to Lemon Grove dies after a lingering illness.
Marie Thérèse Georgette Coste Dryden, a French native, former cabaret singer and veteran of the R.S.V.P. program of the San Diego Police Department, died on Aug. 8, 2013, age 95.
She was born on June 24, 1918 in the medieval village of Le Teil D'Ardèche on the Rhône River in the mountainous Rhône-Alpes district of southeastern France.
As World War I drew to a close, the French people, like all of Europe, faced privation and the huge task of rebuilding its culture. Young Marie, a talented singer, found work at 18 in local cabarets to help her family. She continued to sing professionally during WW II under the German occupation.
Find out what's happening in Lemon Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
She met and married her husband, William "Bill" Dryden, an American G.I., when he was stationed in France during the war. Bill, a native of Buffalo, NY, survived front line action and was mustered out in 1946. As a war bride, Marie qualified under the U.S. program, "Operation War Bride," for free passage to America to rejoin her husband.
The war bride ships, such as the Queen Mary, Mauritania and Île de France, transported some 60,000 European war brides to North America. Speaking no English, Marie arrived at New York City, thrilled to have passed the Statue of Liberty--France's gift to America in 1886.
Find out what's happening in Lemon Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Bill and Marie moved to the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego and volunteered for 28 years at the San Diego Humane Society and for 24 years in the R.S.V.P. program of the San Diego Police Department. There, they met another volunteer, Lemon Grove resident Pam Glover.
When Bill died in 2008, Marie's health began to deteriorate. Her happy life with Bill, in which she was the quintessential "French chef" and homemaker, was over. But it was her loyal friend, Pam, who stepped in to care for her throughout the remaining, difficult years of her life.
Sharing Pam's love of history, and knowing of her involvement with the Lemon Grove Historical Society, Marie requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Historical Society, P.O. Box 624, Lemon Grove, CA 91946.
Marie is survived by her sister, Jeanne Coste, France, and a nephew, Bernard Coste. She is also survived by hundreds of American friends--her adopted family. Services were private.
Au revoir, chère Marie, notre petit rossignol.
