Marie Halsted Wunrow 1908-2010

I was stunned to learn of the passing of a great lady. She lived to be 102 through shear determination. I had a number of opportunities to visit with Aunt Marie in the late 1990’s when I was in southern California annually while visiting my son Jeff and his family. On a number of occasions we took her to church at Gethsemane and then to lunch. On one visit at Easter Saturday we picked her up and she stayed overnight with us at Jeff’s and helping the kids dye eggs. She was always ready and raring to go wherever....


I also recall that Aunt Marie was a key volunteer at the nearby Daniel Freeman hospital and during the LA riots the hospital sent a vehicle to her apartment so could report for duty, even though the businesses on the corner near where she lived were damaged and looted. She was a needed volunteer and she graciously reported to help out.

As a child in the 1940’s I have vivid recall of visits to Wisconsin by Uncle Dick and Aunt Marie and their son “Dickie”. Can anyone today imagine what a task that was to drive from LA to Wisconsin at that time. Route 66 was a narrow two lane road that wound through mountains and across the desert and plains. The trip must have taken at least a week each way. We were so excited to see these relatives from faraway southern California. They drove in a ten year-old car, but since Uncle Dick was a great auto mechanic there was no fear of car breakdowns.

Aunt Marie was not fond of cooking and she made that clear to all who listened. She and Uncle Dick must have eaten at every restaurant within a hundred miles of LA. Her memory was fantastic as she would recall each restaurant and its menu.

She loved the weather in LA except when it dropped into the low 70’s, when she had to turn on the heat to warm up her apartment.

Just imagine living independently until just the last year of her 102 years. That is determination and will, both of which Aunt Marie had in abundance.

I will miss Aunt Marie but at the same time I cherish the memories of this unique and amazing woman.