Marcia Ann Witteman

Marcia was the eldest child born to Henry Whalen and Inez (Hanlon) Whalen on April 13, 1940 in Everett, Washington. Marcia's younger sister was Patricia.

Marcia attended Catholic schools through eighth grade, and graduated from Everett High School in 1958. She attended Skagit Valley College (then Skagit Valley Junior College) for one year before moving to Seattle, Washington and taking a job with Bell Telephone.

In Seattle Marcia met Gary Morris Witteman who then worked for Boeing Company, and they married on June 6, 1962. Marcia and Gary lived in Seattle, Oklahoma City, and Great Falls, Montana before settling in 1963 in Portland. Together they raised three children: Mike, Mark, and MaryBeth. Marcia and Gary divorced in 1985.

Marcia worked for many employers over the years, starting at St. Anne's church in Gresham. She later worked at Crossroads, a Christian bookstore in downtown Portland before co-founding and co-managing Chapel Book and Bible Supply on East Burnside. She worked for several years as an executive assistant before turning to bookkeeping for various small businesses and individuals. Marcia retired in 2016.

Marcia loved to cook, and tried new recipes whenever she could. She made her spectacular Saturday Breakfast for a shifting cast of regulars for over twenty years. She was an avid gardener, and her yard was a neighborhood showpiece. She also read whenever she could, and often finished lengthy novels in a single day. She loved to go to movies and plays with friends. She had many enduring friendships, and was a great conversationalist. Her children and grandchildren were the joy of her life, and she never wavered in her love and support for all of them.

In her final years, Marcia suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and starting in 2019 she lived first at Tabor Crest II and finally at the senior care home owned my Mimi Mekonnen, less than a mile from her home of over 50 years in Parkrose. Marcia's family extends their deepest gratitude for the professional care and real affection her caretakers exhibited, especially on the part of Mimi and her staff.

Marcia is survived by her three children and their loving spouses: Mike and Katherine Witteman, Mark and Lisa Witteman, and MaryBeth and Jon Hernandez, along with grandchildren Julia Witteman, Katie Witteman, Isabelle Hernandez and Adam Hernandez. Marcia is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Inez.

All are welcome to a celebration of Marcia's life on Saturday April 1, 2023, 11:00 to 12:00, at Skyline Memorial Gardens, 4101 NW Skyline Blvd Portland, OR 97229. Marcia loved flowers, but please also consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association.