Marjorie Pletz

Marjorie V. (Olund) Pletz, 95, died peacefully Friday, February 20, 2015, at the Alderwood Manor Adult Family Home from natural causes. She was preceded in death, by her loving husband, Vernon Pletz, in 1979. Marjorie was born June 15, 1919 in Duluth, Minnesota to Esther (Mork) and Albin Olund. Her family moved to Seattle in 1928, where she attended Seattle Public Schools, excelled as a student and was graduated at age 16 from Franklin High School in 1936. A few weeks after being graduated, she turned 17, and began working for New York Life Insurance Co. Several years later, she met and then married Vernon in 1941.

After WWII, Vernon, who had been employed in the local shipyard, started Seattle Transmission Service. Marjorie did her part to support the fledgling business by preparing payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable for the company accountant. She continued this work for many years. In 1968, she began working at Marine Engineering Consultants and continued to work for marine engineer and naval architect, Edward (Ted) A. Drake until his death in 1993. She loved the fascinating work in the maritime industry and particularly enjoyed her colleagues.

Reflecting on her entire life her children all agree, Marjorie’s happiest times were spent at Lake Cavanaugh with family and friends. She and Vernon bought the logged but brush-covered property in the summer of 1946 and worked weekends for many years clearing and building a simple cabin, dock and a small boat. Whether supervising the bon fire, berry picking, gathering firewood, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, playing cards on a rainy day, reading or cooking on the camp stove, she loved it all and hated to leave this mini-paradise on Sunday nights.

In her younger years, she enjoyed family picnics at Lake Sawyer and Lake McDonald with her parents, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins and their families, Later in life, Marjorie delighted in traveling with family and friends to New Orleans, Tahiti, Hawaii, Reno, Leavenworth, Disneyland, Yellowstone National Park, San Juan Islands, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Mexico, Europe and the Oregon Coast. She was always ready to pack a suitcase and eager to join in the fun at the drop of a hat.

For many years, she bowled with Vernon in a Friday night mixed league and then with her sister, Carole, and friends Jackie Reynolds and Joyce Simicich in various women’s leagues. She was competitive and loved to outscore other teams, but most of all she cherished being with her husband, her sister and friends.

Marjorie also enjoyed and looked forward to attending Italian dances with her younger brother Don and his wife Edi and Edi’s sisters and husbands. Besides the dancing, she loved the “dressing up” aspect and to her children, she looked like a princess ready for a ball.

Another highlight for Marjorie, Vernon and children, was attending the yearly Seattle Seafair activities that culminated at Don and Edi Olund’s house on hydroplane race day. Edi’s parents (Mama and Popo); sisters – “the Alfarone girls”, their husbands and children – would also be there. From the mid-morning last minute qualifying of boats prior to the races to Edi’s wonderful spaghetti feed to the late night fireworks at Seward Park, Marjorie (and all who were there) had a fantastic and memorable time.

Marjorie also loved fishing with her parents and family at Lake Cavanaugh, the many lakes in the northwest and trips to Westport.

Other happy memories for Marjorie were the many planned or spontaneous gatherings with her neighbors Gloria and Foster Payne, Judi and Arvid Blendheim and Dick and Lynda Tripp. Every dinner that was organized to welcome one of us home, or for an anniversary, a birthday, a snowstorm or for the heck of it, she loved them all and was always eager to participate and celebrate with friends.

Marjorie was an accomplished baker. Those of us who were lucky enough to partake of her chocolate chip cookies, Russian tea cakes at Christmas, sticky buns, “peanut butter what-evers”, cakes, puddings and pies of endless varieties, were treated to better than bakery fare. The aromas filled the neighborhood and many a child walking home from the bus stop always hoped that it was his/her mom doing the baking. None were as lucky as the Pletz kids.

She will be forever remembered as a loving wife, mom, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers and sisters-in-law Howard (Myrtle) Olund and Donald (Edi) Olund and son-in-law Stanley Sallup. She is survived by her sister, Carole Eastman (Blair), sons Gary (Roberta), Jim (Carol); daughter Susie Sallup; 5 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews; friends and neighbors Jackie Reynolds, Gloria and Foster Payne, Judi Blendheim, Dick and Lynda Tripp, and Paul and Ronda Sallup.

Marjorie’s children would like to acknowledge and thank Betty, Reuben and Ike Atienza and the wonderful care givers at the Alderwood Manor Adult Family Home for their thoughtful and loving care.

A celebration of Marjorie’s life will be held August 15, 2015 at Jim and Carol Pletz’s home on Lake Cavanaugh. Please check this site in July, 2015 for details and directions.

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of one’s choice.