Marian Lucille (Wright) Garland, of Anacortes, died and went to heaven April 14, 2021 at the age of 87.

Marian was born on September 28, 1933 in Imogene, Iowa, the eldest child of Wilbur (Hap) and Frances (Ellen) Wright.  Like most hardworking families in small towns across the nation, the Wrights struggled through the Depression years and into World War II. To make ends meet, Marian and her two younger brothers, Kenneth and Eldon, would often help their Dad run his trap line before school and tend the family fields after school.  Her strong work ethic was passed on to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All that physical labor paid off as athletic training for the Wright kids who excelled in high school sports.  Marian represented Farragut High School in Girls' Basketball, all the way to the Iowa State Championship in 1949.

Marian graduated from Farragut High School in 1950, then went to Van Sant Business College in Omaha Nebraska.  It was in Omaha that she met and married her one true love, William (Bill) J. Garland. They welcomed two sons and a daughter to their family before moving west as Bill pursued a career in electronic engineering, the young family ultimately settling in Huntington Beach, California. Marian was a devoted mother, raising her three children while volunteering at their schools, leading Cub Scout and Camp Fire Girls groups, and helping raise funds for various charities including the American Heart Association. Marian was an active member of her beloved First Baptist Church of Huntington Beach for 56 years, teaching Sunday School, working in the nursery, and chairing the White Cross program for decades. Her volunteering spirit has been passed on to her children and grandchildren.

In 2017 Marian moved to Anacortes to be closer to her family.

Marian was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill, her brother Kenneth and her great-grandson Christopher Herrin. Marian is survived by her brother Eldon, her children John, Walter, and Frances, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Marian will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Evans Funeral Chapel in Anacortes on Wednesday April 21, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.  Covid-19 rules and guidelines will be followed, including social distancing and wearing of masks.  For those who are not able to attend in person, a livestream feed will be available through the Evans Funeral Chapel facebook page: www.facebook.com/EvansChapel

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Legion Veterans Service Office, PO Box 376, Anacortes, WA, 98221.