Marlene Kay Richardson was born on September 21, 1944 in Bellingham, Washington to Myron and Catherine (Webley) Richardson. As a young girl, Marlene loved to ride her horse and was known as a sweet girl with an infectious giggle, a signature laugh that she would carry throughout her life.
Marlene often helped her older brother Del (aka Mark) with the gardening where she developed her incredible green thumb. Her natural propensity to care for others started with her little brother, John Reese, who suffered from poor health as a child. Marlene was truly an attentive and loving sister.
Music played a big role in Marlene’s life. Father Myron sang on the radio, and both brothers sang professionally. Yet none of them sang for more years or with more passion than Marlene. Friends and family from her school years still recall what a beautiful singer she was, often performing locally. Until the very end, you could find her enjoying live music and singing karaoke with joy and a smile.
As a young lady, Marlene had a strong sense of fashion (which became even sharper over the years), matched only by her strong intellect. Inspired by her Aunt Mary, Marlene went on to pursue an education degree and become a celebrated teacher for forty years. Along the way, she also learned three languages, studied and taught interior design, and eventually started her own business, which she continued after “retirement.” Marlene loved her work and was still working until the day she died.
In the ‘60s, Marlene moved to southern California, spending hours in the sun and water as a lifeguard and scuba instructor. In 1973, she fell in love with Abraham “Mundo” Flores. Marlene and Abe married in 1976 – after learning of Marlene’s melanoma – and proceeded to live every day to its fullest with love, laughter and a genuine zest for life. While Marlene fought cancer for years, Mundo sadly lost his battle with the disease in 2005.
Throughout her life, Marlene helped others with a generous and gracious heart. She mentored hundreds of students, volunteered countless hours to champion important causes, and gave tirelessly to Veteran’s organizations, a community very close to her heart. She was an extraordinary hostess, happy to entertain, making it look easy to feed a houseful of people.
Marlene had rare strength, energy and positivity. Despite years of battling cancer and pain, she never let it show. She always presented her best self, thought of others first and led with love. After living 74 years with gusto and panache, and outliving the two brothers and husband she loved dearly, Marlene passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 17, 2019.
She will be sorely missed by her much-loved dog, Chica, her partner, Rusty Vasterling, a legion of friends, many family members, including twelve cousins, her nephews Jonmark, Jared and Jason Richardson, and her nieces Gabriela Caceras, Cynthia Logue, and Tamara Kullback (Richardson).
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