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Marianne Pitcher, 39, of Elbridge, was killed in a motorcycle accident Sunday morning during a motorcycle training class in the parking lot at ShoppingTown Mall in DeWitt.

(Jeff Stein | syracuse.com)

DeWitt, NY -- Marianne and Eric Pitcher were excited to take a motorcycle training class together this weekend.

They both worked long hours, but loved spending every moment they could together, said Rashelle Pitcher, Eric's sister. Sunday morning was no different.

The Elbridge couple planned to buy a three-wheel Spyder motorcycle to take a well-deserved vacation next summer. By taking a motorcycle, it was going to be more affordable, said Rashelle Pitcher, of Hannibal. But first, they needed to get licensed so they signed up for a motorcycle training class at ShoppingTown Mall, she said.

Sunday morning, on the second day of class, 39-year-old Marianne Pitcher was practicing riding a motorcycle.

With her husband, an instructor and the rest of the class nearby, something terrible went wrong.

DeWitt police confirmed a woman died in the motorcycle accident, which was reported shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday. However, they did not release any other details.

From what Rashelle Pitcher's brother told her, Marianne may have hit the front brake, instead of the back brake. "The back of the bike came up, she went over the handlebars and came down on her head," Rashelle Pitcher said. "What was supposed to be a fun thing turned out to be a tragedy." Family members believe Marianne Pitcher may have broken her neck, however an autopsy is scheduled, Rashelle Pitcher said.

"My brother watched his wife, his best friend die in front of him," Rashelle Pitcher said. "You can't get much more horrific than that. It's a shock."

She said her prayers also go out to the instructor and the rest of class who also watched Marianne -- a gentle, sweet and quiet person -- die. Marianne Pitcher was rushed to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, where she was pronounced dead.

"It's nobody's fault," Rashelle Pitcher said. "It's God's way of taking an angel home."

Marianne Pitcher grew up in the Martville area in Cayuga County, her sister-in-law said. She went to school in southwest Oswego, and eventually met Eric Pitcher. Marianne and Eric lived for their three dogs and each other, Rashelle Pitcher said. They celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary last week, she said.

Marianne Pitcher was a manager at Wendy's, and her husband works for a local car dealership. Marianne worked at different Wendy's locations, but for the most part she worked at the restaurant near Driver's Village in Cicero, her sister-in-law said.

"They were both constantly working, but anytime they weren't working they were together doing things," she said. They enjoyed working in their backyard with tractors, backhoes and three-wheelers, she said.

"My brother wanted to take her on vacation," Rashelle Pitcher said. The couple was excited to get their motorcycle licenses so they could travel to West Virginia next summer to visit Eric's aunt, she said.

"My brother liked adventure; she was gentle. They complemented each other," Rashelle Pitcher said. "She kept my brother out of trouble. She was the best, most sincere inspiration for him and everything they did together. They lived to be with each other."