Marlene Bayless was born in Diagonal, Iowa, the fifth child of Earl and Beatrice (McAninch) Bayless. The family moved to Torrington, Wyoming in 1936 and then to Port Orchard, Washington in 1943. Marlene graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1950 and then worked at the Chamber of Commerce in Bremerton. She married J Don (Donnie) Bryce, of Bremerton, in 1954, at which time the newlyweds moved to Seattle so that Don could attend the University of Washington.
Son Brian was born in 1960 and daughter Lori in 1963. The family lived in the Ballard area for many years, where Marlene was an active participant in PTA, Christian Women’s Club, PNW Thunderbird Club, and many other activities. In 1974, Marlene returned to work part-time as an Executive Secretary for the Director of Human Resources at Honeywell, a job she greatly enjoyed and continued to hold until her retirement in 1989, upon the arrival of her first grandchild. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest source of joy and she loved them all unconditionally. Brian and his wife Catherine, of Centralia, with their two children Nathan and Alyssa, along with Lori (Vaaga) and her husband John, of Bothell, and their two sons, Joshua and Jacob, have many fond memories of spending time together with family.
Marlene loved to travel and made many trips all around the world, often accompanied by her sister Jeanne Lieseke. She and Jeanne took their mother to Ireland in 1978, accompanied by Lori. It was a memorable trip for all three generations. Marlene went on safari in Africa, to Hong Kong (with Jeanne, their brother Mac and his wife, Ann), went volksmarching in Germany and Austria, cruised the Panama Canal, and made several trips to the Holy Land. She and Don also took many trips together, usually with good friends - Clay and Dolores Ohnstad, Dick and Irene Vitulli, or Bob and Blanche Nelson. They traveled everywhere from Hawaii to New England, Italy to the British Isles, and Marlene took lots of pictures and put together beautiful albums of every trip. In 2004, she and Don spent six weeks driving Route 66 in celebration of their 50th Anniversary.
Don and Marlene moved to Lynnwood in 1987 and made many new friends there, while still keeping in touch with all of the old ones from Seattle and Bremerton. They were busy and active and just enjoying the next season of their lives, watching their children raising their own families. Tragically, Don died in 2007 while traveling in Europe and Marlene never really fully recovered from the shock. She was diagnosed with dementia in 2008, shortly after the passing of her beloved sister Jeanne. Her brother Mac also predeceased her in 2011. Marlene moved into full memory care in 2015 and continued to deteriorate, although we would occasionally see glimpses of her old self when she would smile sweetly at a visit from one of her kids or grandkids. She also never lost her love of anything chocolate!
Marlene had a deep and abiding faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the time she was a young child. She loved to attend church and would happily listen to old hymns, even when she could no longer remember all of the words. As her disease progressed, she would occasionally say that she couldn’t wait to go to Heaven where she knew that she would finally be healed. On May 19th, she passed peacefully into the arms of God, and while her family and friends mourn her passing, we rest confidently in the knowledge that she has finally received her wish and is now healed, whole, and reunited with all those she loved who have gone before her.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5