Marie (Buck) Stevens Veto, 91, died Friday, May, 1, 2015. Born in Troy, NY on August 18, 1923, she was the daughter of the late Edgar and Mariah (Dotman) Buck, she had four brothers and a sister. At four years old she had rheumatic fever, which left her unable to walk. Her brother pulled her around in a wagon. Her doctor suggested she take dance lessons. She was a child model at age five. She moved to Warren, MA in 1935 at the age of twelve. She was a graduate of Warren High School where she was named the most popular in her senior class. Marie taught ballroom dancing to 6th, 7th and 8th graders. She was an accomplished figure skater combining dancing and skating. Marie graduated as a New York High Fashion Model from the Robert Powers Studio in 1947 at age seventeen. She auditioned for the Rockettes and was accepted in 1941. Her father said no to her being a show-girl so young so she did two years of nursing training at Hanaman Hospital in Worcester. She continued to model through 1956. Marie married Merrill Stevens in 1950. She lived in Florida for several years before her husband died in 1956. She moved to Springfield shortly thereafter and took many jobs to support her family such as a doctor's assistant, waitress, sales representative, and a food and beverage manager at the Holiday Inn in Springfield. She danced with Phil Donahue on his television show. She was named Miss Senior Sweetheart of Massachusetts of Fall River in 1989. She was honored in Who's –Who of Dance in 1995. She had two years of drama education at the Steve Hay's Studio in Springfield. She was involved in many stage productions throughout the area in the entertainment field. Marie was the founder of the highly successful West Side Tappers in 1990. She leaves her husband, Edward R. Veto, two sons, Mark Dumas of Warren, William Stevens and his wife Darlene of Palmer, two daughters, Gail Ponusky-Garvey of St. Augustine, FL, Pamela Skiba and her companion James Barnes of South Hadley, a brother, Edgar "Ted" Buck of Warren, a sister, Evelyn Allen of New York, twelve grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. The funeral will be Wednesday at 10am at the AGAWAM CURRAN-JONES FUNERAL HOME, 745 Cooper Street, with burial in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Calling hours are Tuesday from 4-7pm. Donations may be made to the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101-6307.