Marian Michener

Obituary photo

Marian Michener
30 Aug 1952 - 26 Jul 2019
Puddletown Squares

Obituary

Marian Michener was born on August 30, 1952 in Boston, MA and passed away from complications of Huntington's disease on July 26, 2019. She was the daughter of David P. Michener and Jean Martin Brown.

Marian was preceded in death by her mother Jean, brother Tom and sister Joan. All three family members also passed away from complications of Huntington's disease.

Marian is survived by her partner Carol Burton and step-daughter Lena Burton Owens of Seattle WA; father David Michener and wife Dorothy Berndt of CA; step-mother Dolores Michener of CA; half-siblings Doug and Kirsten; Berndt and Brown step-siblings; as well as numerous other family and friends.

Marian liked to tell people she belonged to the Church of Dance. She inherited her love of dance from her mother. Marian often said there was nothing more thrilling than to waltz and whirl someone around a dance floor.

Marian enjoyed theater and anything Shakespeare and was an avid Oregon Shakespeare Festival fan. She converted many people into ardent OSF lovers. She was a long-time columnist for the Seattle Gay News and reviewed numerous arts and entertainment events for SGN. Marian was not much of a sports fan and once impishly told someone (whom she was courting) that she loved football. She then ended up having to host super bowl parties for several years running. Later in life she learned to appreciate the Seattle Storm, which she covered for SGN. She eventually admitted it was quite exciting to watch a different kind of whirling across the floor.

Marian was a published writer including not only her work for SGN, but also novels, short stories and poetry.

Marian deeply valued her friendships. She could make a friend in any situation - standing in line at a movie theater, on a dance floor, in a writing group, at the opera, volunteering at an AIDS organization - and end up being friends with that person for life.

She appreciated good writing, classical music, Italy, a great fox trot, women, opera, adventures in Ashland, being wooed by Pablo Neruda poetry, and hearty laughter. But mostly, she enjoyed those things with the friends she held close to her heart. Her spirit made this world a better place.

Donations may be made to the HDSA, WA Chapter, PO BOX 27765, Seattle WA 98165 or the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 So. Pioneer St., Ashland OR 97520.

Please join us for a celebration of Marian's life on August 22, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Swedish Cultural Center.

Memorial Panel

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