Marion Carrie Lane loved her dogs.
Marion and Jack
Raised in Derby Connecticut, Marion had little time for animals during the depression years, her work in the military, and getting married. Although she wanted a dog with her growing family of Robert and Michael, she didn’t want the hardship of not being able to keep an animal happy while moving every 6 months from Naval station to Naval station, Jacksonville Florida to Leonardtown Maryland to San Diego California and being transferred to foreign countries. Such as the time when Jack was stationed at the American Embassy in Tokyo 1970, as representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Or when Jack and Marion were honored to have had a private audience with the Empress of Japan.
All this changed in 1972 with Max, a grey miniature Schnauzer. Robert and Mike were there to welcome Max, while Bill Lane arrived in 1973. All the while, Jack was serving on the USS Ranger as Communication Officer during the Vietnam War, then found a full house when he was welcomed home at the Alameda California Navy Family Housing.
Even though the year in Alameda offered a rare respite, orders came for Jack to be stationed at Yokosuka Japan, home of the 7th Fleet. Marion, the three boys and Max followed and stayed for 4 years, first in the town of Hayama, then on to Yokosuka base housing.
Max was there when Jack received the Meritorious Service award in 1973, and while Marion hosted the Admiral and other Officer Wives at the many on-base functions. Max was a constant companion while Marion became involved with activities as the boys grew up. She learned Japanese, helped Robert with his many scout activities, watched Michael play baseball, and enjoyed watching live-action Japanese superheroes Ultraman, Majinga Z, Kamen Rider, with Bill.
In 1977, Jack was assigned to Puget Sound Naval Station, now known as Magnusson Park, and rode out the last days as Operations Officer before the Naval base was transferred from Federal hands. Tired of moving, the family made Kenmore Washington their permanent home as Robert entered high school. Jack retired from the Navy in 1979, then began a second career with King County Court System.
Max was followed by Shasta in 1986, the first in a line of pureblood Icelandic Shepherds. Shasta had a litter of 4 puppies in 1989. Chip and his sisters were the single link in re-establishing the Icelandic Shepherds population after a fire wiped out the others in a tragic event. Chip was Bill’s companion growing up, lived through Marion’s retirement from her legal office at Supervisor of Ship Building Conversion and Repair Naval Shipyards Everett Washington in 1996, Jack’s retirement from King County Courts in 1997, and Chip lived a long life until 2003. Marion was overjoyed to find Shasta’s great + grand puppy Gunnar in 2006, and the little mischief maker created many tales in Jack and Marion’s retirement life together in Kenmore.
When Jack passed away in 2017, Marion went to live at Chateau Bothell Memory Care, and Gunnar stayed with Robert and Laurie. Gunnar had his own way of dealing with everything, as Icelandic Shepherds are the closest dog to the Wolf, but his salad days with Laurie’s dogs Chloe and Scrappy gave a reason for Marion to live. Gunnar passed in October 2022, Marion fell and broke her hip in November, she never regained her mobility, and her heart finally gave out, passing away on April 23, 2023 at 3:37 am. She will be interred with Jack and Gunnar at Tahoma National Cemetery in Washington State. She leaves behind sons Robert, Michael, Bill and grandchildren Christopher, Thomas, Jeanette, Jillian and Mitchell. She survived her brothers Arnold and Arthur Baldwin. She will be missed.
The post first appeared on Barton Family Funeral Service.