North Powder, Oregon
There will be a memorial gathering at 2 p.m. Saturday for the friends of Marian McDonald, a former North Powder resident who died Jan. 2, 2004, at Los Angeles while visiting her family during the holidays.
For directions to the memorial gathering, call Roxanna Swann at 523-9265.
Marian had moved to Bainbridge Island, Wash., in 1999 after living in Baker County for almost 30 years. She was born at Youngstown, Ohio. Her parents Emile A. Titangos and Anna Fondas, came from Triglia, Asia Minor.
The family moved to Los Angeles when Marian was quite young. Her father was a furrier and Anna was a seamstress. They made and sold fur items to the Hollywood stars of that time. Marian graduated from UCLA and taught English in the Los Angeles school system.
She first came to Baker County in 1968, where she and her husband purchased a piece of property near Anthony Lakes. After retiring from teaching, Marian moved here permanently and became an active member of the community.
She had jobs in advertising and public relations and was an ardent supporter of several environmental causes. She was active with the Blue Mountain Native Forest Alliance, the Blue Mountain Environmental Council, the Nature Conservancy, and the Sierra Club.
She especially loved the forests of Eastern Oregon and spent many hours hiking around her property and on trails near Anthony Lakes and the Wallowas. She was an active gardener as well, growing many of her own vegetables.
Marian’s love of nature brought her outdoors during the cold, clear Baker Valley winters to take photographs of the snow-covered hills and rushing streams in her backyard. During her travels to Ireland, France and Italy, she documented the famous places and beautiful scenery she visited with her excellent camera work.
Other artistic pursuits included pottery, guitar, voice and poetry. Her favorite social pastime was entertaining people for dinners where everyone pitched in.
She also enjoyed the camaraderie of a Women’s Circle. She was never afraid to try new things and to explore new horizons. She will be remembered by her friends for her “joie de vivre” and her love of Baker Valley and Eastern Oregon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Nature Conservancy or a local charity of choice.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 16, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
