Marie Maybach Eymann, 96, of Palm Desert, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 2003, of respiratory failure in Rancho Mirage.

She was born Dec. 13, 1906, in Great Bend, Kan. and was a homemaker.

She and her late husband James were Idyllwild residents beginning in 1967.

After his death on April 18, 1990, she continued her Idyllwild residency until 2002 but also lived part-time in the Hacienda de Monterey retirement home in Palm Desert for the past seven years.

Since her husband’s death, she had looked for ways to celebrate his life and leave something behind that would make his memory everlasting.

Mrs. Eymann donated funds to help build Idyllwild Arts’ library and motion picture studio.

Her most recent gift was a bequest to fund the Marie and Jim Eymann Sculpture Garden, dedicated in November 2002.

Mrs. Eymann belonged to the PEO Sisterhood, Alpha Phi and the Idyllwild Garden Club.

She also was a member of the Idyllwild Community Presbyterian Church and the Associates of Idyllwild Arts.

Memorial services are at 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 at Hacienda de Monterey, 44600 Monterey Ave., Palm Desert. Pastor Art Ihnen will officiate. The Neptune Society is handling arrangements.

She is survived by her daughters, Carol Moller of Minneapolis and Sally Ketchum of San Francisco; two children; and a great-grandchild.