Marcella "Meem" Krokos

January 18, 1923 – October 20, 2026

Marcella M. Krokos (nee VanDenover), affectionately known as “Marcie” to her friends and simply “Meem” to those who loved her most, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2026, just two months shy of her 104th birthday.

Born and raised in Austin, Minnesota, Marcella lived a remarkable life spanning more than a century, filled with adventure, curiosity, laughter, and an unwavering love for her family. She spent many years in Clarkston, Washington, before making her home in Monroe, Washington, where she spent her final days.

Meem was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Louis E. Krokos, her parents, and her four siblings. She leaves behind three children, Mike, Nan, and Ana; four grandchildren, Mandie, Jemal, Jason, and Zach; six great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

To her family, Meem was truly one of a kind. With her quick wit, sharp intelligence, endless curiosity, and infectious laugh, she had a way of making even the simplest moments memorable and quirky phrases that have become a part of. She possessed a wonderful sense of humor and a spirit that remained vibrant throughout her extraordinary life.

An adventurer at heart, Meem had an insatiable desire to see and experience the world. Her travels took her across continents, from Africa and Egypt to Israel, Greece, Jordan, Great Britain, and throughout Europe. She rode a camel to the pyramids of Egypt, traveled by donkey to the ancient city of Petra, and cruised along the great rivers of England and Europe. Each journey was another chapter in a life defined by curiosity, courage, and a genuine appreciation for the world around her.

When her traveling days eventually slowed, her sense of wonder never did. Meem remained an enthusiastic lifelong learner, keeping her mind sharp with crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, books, National Geographic and her beloved PBS programs. She enjoyed playing Bingo at the senior center and cherished her Friday breakfast tradition with her ladies' club, a gathering that brought friendship and laughter into her life for many years.

Her fascination with history and archaeology was matched only by her enthusiasm for discovering her own family's story. She delighted in tracing her ancestry through generations of European royalty, uncovering connections to William the Conqueror, Charlemagne, and beyond. For someone who loved history as much as Meem, discovering her own place within it was a particularly wonderful adventure.

Meem also had a tender heart for animals, especially scruffy little dogs, who were almost always her faithful companions. Some of her happiest moments were spent exploring the countryside of rural Idaho with her son Mike and daughter-in-law Renee, eagerly watching for deer and whatever other wildlife might cross their path. Even the simplest encounter with an animal could fill her with delight.

While 103 years is an extraordinary lifetime, it will never feel quite long enough to those who loved her. Meem leaves behind generations of family, countless stories, treasured memories, and a legacy of laughter, curiosity, and love.

She taught those around her, perhaps without ever realizing it, that life is meant to be explored, that there is always something new to learn, and that a little humor can make almost anything better.

Her adventures may have come to an end, but her stories will live on in all of us.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting - over and over announcing your place in the family of things.

-Mary Oliver