Marie B. Garvey, a retired WBAL radio staff assistant, died of stroke complications Saturday at her home in Oak Park, Ill. The former Timonium resident was 99.

Born in Baltimore and raised near Joppa and Belair roads, she was the daughter of Frank Bialek, who owned and operated a grocery store, and his wife, Marie, who worked alongside him.

She was a 1938 graduate of Kenwood High School and attended the Maryland Institute College of Art.

In 1944 she married J. Russell Garvey, a Glenn L. Martin aircraft engineer. They lived for many years on Midridge Road in Timonium.

After raising a family, she joined WBAL radio at its old Charles Street location in Charles Village. She worked as an executive assistant to J. Sydney King in the station’s public service department. She retired after the station had moved to Television Hill.

She and her husband were accomplished ballroom dancers and often danced at the old Boumi Temple in North Baltimore.

“They were the kind of dancers that caused other couples to leave the floor and watch them,” said her daughter, Victoria L. Garvey of Chicago.

Active in Democratic politics, Mrs. Garvey worked on a campaign to ban smoking in public places.

A memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 East Padonia Road.

In addition to her daughter, survivors include a son, Russell C. Garvey of Sarasota, Fla.; a sister, Helen Orem of Bethesda; a grandson; and a great-grandson. Her husband of 55 years died in 1999.

—?Jacques Kelly