Marilyn Ann Kettler of Bellevue WA passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 10, 2017.
Marilyn Ann Kettler
Marilyn was born in San Angelo, TX in 1940 to Ralph and Edna Kettler. She grew up in Rowena, TX, where her father managed and later owned the town lumberyard. A self-described tom-boy, when not getting into mischief, she attended Ballinger High School where she was voted prom queen her senior year. After graduation, she attended Texas Women’s University for two years, which based on her GPA, must have been non-stop fun. After losing her financial backing from unsympathetic parents, she went to work for General Telephone in San Angelo as a secretary. There she met her future husband, Daniel Polasek, with which she had two sons, Mark and Robert. A company transfer took them to League City, TX, where she lived for approximately ten years as a homemaker, student at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, president of the local PTA, and later librarian at the newly opened public library.
Though a devoted wife, the marriage did not last and she became a single parent long before it became commonplace. Despite the hardships, she was a wonderful mother and provider for her sons. Her passions, adventurous spirit, and need to support her family led her to the island community of Clear Lake Shores, Texas. There she remarried and ventured into the occupations of animal control officer and police officer before finding her calling in nursing. She became an LVN after attending Santa Anna College in 1979, graduated with an ASN from Angelo State University in 1983, and, at the age of 55, she achieved a lifelong dream of receiving her BSN in 1995. Through her career as a nurse, she worked in labor and delivery, ICU, psychiatric and chemical dependency, and home healthcare.
Marilyn lived her life by following her heart and acting on her desire to help others. Never one to be constrained by traditional conventions, she spent time in an Oregon spiritual intentional community living in a tent through a cold winter. After returning to mainstream society, she proudly joined the US Army and was commissioned a 1st Lt. in the US Army Reserve Nurse Corps. She proudly served her country and the brave soldiers of the US Army for ten years before having to retire due to an injury. She was also forced to retire from nursing due to the same injury, and returned to her love of books by working at Barnes and Noble where she delighted in working in the children’s section and sharing her love of reading.
Her favorite places that she lived while working , in no particular order, were Clear Lake Shores, TX, Galveston TX, San Diego CA, Long Beach CA, Palm Springs CA. In 2000 she moved to the Pacific Northwest where she loved the mild climate, abundant natural beauty, and liberal ethos. She was passionate about preservation of our natural world, indigenous cultures, empowering women, and social justice. She eagerly supported groups advocating all of those, and would feistily defend her beliefs at any time.
She is fondly remembered by her friends and family for her generosity, quirky sense of humor, cheerfulness, love of music, love of nature, and adventurous spirit. Unfortunately, she was stricken by dementia before age 60 and courageously battled the terrible disease for almost 20 years. Even as the disease progressed, she stubbornly maintained hope, and, in her own words, “enjoyed walking the dog, hiking, flying with a friend, bird watching (esp. Eagles), WA state ferry rides, reading (mostly mysteries), and corresponding with friends”. Her motto was “I will survive”, and her deepest wish was for world peace—and that people would learn to respect each other for who they are, and not hate them for their differences.
The last four years of her life were spent at Harmony Care Adult Family Home in Bellevue WA. In that peaceful home-like setting, she received the most patient, respectful, loving care imaginable. Special thanks go out to the owner, Nancy Eze, and all of the caregivers who loved her.
She is survived by sons Mark(Nancy) and Robert(Joni), brother David(Joy), grandchildren Thomas and Michael, and longtime loyal friends Jim and April. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.