Marian and I were friends for about 17 years. In the last few years our communication consisted of messages on answering machines. I missed her very much then, as I do now.

At Marian's service I recognized very few people other than her immediate family. Austin was so grown up, a man, and that gave me more solace than anything. When Marian would make me dinner (almost every night) when we were neighbors on Carl Street, Austin would be right beside her making the dressing for the salad. He was only about 3 or 4, but if he wanted to cook, then that's what she would teach him. She was such a good Mommy.

Then, when he got a little older, she would fight tooth and nail to make sure he got the very best attention he could at school and at home. I loved looking at the collection of books she had for him. I would lay on her floor for hours next to the spinning bookcase - Marian and Austin's library.

If you can believe it, I knew Marian before she loved animals. I remember the first time she agreed to cat sit. Her apartment was meticulous and she spent days picking up cat hair! She was a good friend above all though, and would always allow my blue eyed dog Jack to sleep on her floor. She said it was only because he was so handsome. Always the aesthete.

I heard so many stories at the service about what Marian brought to people's lives and my story is the same. She opened my eyes to books, music, organizational skills :), treasure chests (she had so many!), fancy cosmetics, truly loving friendship, I could go on and on. I'm so lucky to have known her.

My best to Augie Dog and all her family and friends.
Much love,
Angela (Scott) Donlan

My darling daughter Marian...

I held you in my arms when you were born, I held you in my arms as you left this world.
My arms are empty now, but my heart is very very full.
I love you forever,
Mom

It is with deep sadness that I hear the news of Marian passing. And reading the words on the blog just shows what a wonderful human she was.

I had the greatest pleasure of working with Marian, for only a brief period, at Aeneid/Eoexchange in 1999/2000, when she was an intern completing her MLS degree. She worked one or two days a week - I think it varied and we would have lunch every week. I looked forward to our time together and she touched me in ways she'll never know. She was a great inspiration to me, a strong woman and beautiful to boot. I'm half the woman she was.

I heard about her breast cancer diagnosis in 2002 and never got a chance to see her - I had moved home to England and was back and forth to SF. We missed each other and alas lost touch, but I have never forgotten her. She was definitely an inspiration to me and I am so sad that she didn't beat the cancer. This news certainly puts things into perspective. This is a great loss of a great lady of immense human capacity and a huge heart.

My thoughts are with you and her family, please let everyone know how farspread this stunning lady has reached.

Sorry to see her go and may her memory live on. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to share her.

Best Wishes
Sarah Lebedeff