Marilyn J. Anderson

1926 – 2016

Marilyn Anderson was proud of her Swedish heritage, her Pacific Northwest roots, and her hometown of Ballard. She was a proud Camp Fire Girl, bugling at Camp Sealth. She was proud of the fact that her REI membership number was in the six hundreds, and of her long military career, from which she retired as Colonel of the Army Physical Therapy program. She was a driving force behind the PT program, developing a set of competencies for the PT practice, teaching many students, and successfully advocating for a Master’s program. Marilyn and long-time companion Rachel Adams built their house on Crane Island with little help from professional contractors, and another home on Orcas Island’s Mount Woolard; she was very proud of both. Marilyn was deeply involved in several aspects of community life and was a staunch defender of music education in the public schools. She served in leadership capacities on the boards of Orcas Center, the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, and the Music Advocacy Group (MAG). Marilyn was proud of her friends, her Orcas community, and the entire San Juan archipelago.