Marie Louise Hunt Millett

Marie L. Millett [née Hunt] Born 1926 in Arkansas City, Kansas Died June 23, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida Marie was born to a farming family in Arkansas City, Kansas. Her parents, Glenn and Leola Hunt were farmers. For some of her childhood they lived “in town”, and other times, out in the country, where she often rode a horse to attend classes in a one-room schoolhouse. She graduated from Arkansas City High School, then attended Cowley County Junior College, before graduating from the University of Kansas School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. She worked in the Premature Nursery at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City. Later she worked at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas, also in the Premature Nursery. Later she worked for Planned Parenthood in Dallas, before going to work as a school nurse in the Irving, Texas School District. After divorcing her husband Alden Baum, also of Arkansas City, she moved to Wichita, Kansas, where she again worked as a school nurse. As a single mother, she went to night school and earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Wichita State University. After working as a school nurse for many years, she began teaching nursing at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. She was active in the founding of Planned Parenthood in Wichita, Kansas and providing health services for women in the Wichita area. Marie Millett was an active member of the League of Women Voters, and of the Unitarian Universalist Church, where she met her second husband John Millett. They shared a love of liberal social causes, fighting for civil rights, a love of whimsy, dancing and the arts. They eventually founded the Grapevine Dancers, a group dedicated to learning, teaching, and occasionally performing international folk dances. After she retired from teaching nursing and John retired from teaching political science at Wichita State, they moved to Sarasota, Florida, where they enjoyed the active lifestyle afforded by the weather and culture of the Sarasota area. They joined the Unitarian Universalist Church in Sarasota, and continued to pursue many interests, including travel [Greece, France, Spain, Alaska, New Mexico, California, New York City, the Berkshires], politics, women’s health issues, and social justice. Of course, they also continued their dancing, founding the Sarasota chapter of the Grapevine Dancers [International Folk Dance Sarasota]. Happily both folk dance groups are still thriving. Despite John’s death in 1997, Marie continued their good works, sharing her energy, curiosity, and love, touching the lives of countless souls. Marie was vital to the end, dancing, teaching, spending time with friends, both old and new, and enjoying the occasional piece of dark chocolate. She is survived by her brother Earl M. Hunt and sister-in-law Jollene Hunt of Arkansas City, Kansas, her step-son Mike Millett of Wichita, Kansas, and her son Robert Baum and daughter-in-law Starr of Glen Ridge, New Jersey. We will celebrate her life on Sunday July 12th at 2:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Planned Parenthood.