Marilyn Jorgensen Obituary

Marilyn was my "American Mom" and my life-long friend. She was a real lady in the true sense of the word. Classy and dignified, she did everything in style.

I wasn't her first "girl love". Sally was first. I wasn't the last either. I imagine that we (Sally, Stella, Katya and me) seemed like "yet another one of Marilyn's projects". The truth is that the love she extended to us was real, rooted in true interest to make a difference in one person's life. It was Marilyn, her love, who taught me how to truly be interested in all kinds of people, how to be curious in people, how to love people, and how to open your heart to someone you didn't know yesterday.

I met Marilyn, in 1990 in Crossroads Mall, Bellevue. I was 20, a young mom of a 6-months old baby boy, working as a girl with the clipboard, stopping people in their tracks to interview them about yet another product or service for a market research firm, trying to get them inside our office for focus groups. It was my 5th month in the U.S. Marilyn stopped, because she recognized my Russian accent (she had just come back from Russia with the Pacific Northwest Ballet's board's trip) and she was curious. She had a real interest in me. She invited me to see the ballet that night, for no cost, if I volunteered at the boutique during the intermission. Of' course, I went.

The next day, she invited me to lunch, and I wore the same clothes I wore the night before. She realized that I needed a bit of a lesson on how to be an American, starting with "you don't wear the same outfit two days in a row". I genuinely wanted to learn more, so I asked her what else she's got. Many more instructions followed (including a lesson on bodily hair care). I ate it up. We became instant friends.

People wondered what was it that attracted us, young girls, to Marilyn. It wasn't her money. It was her willingness to be our mom, to say what mattered, to always know how to lift us up. We paid back with full trust and confidences.

Over the next 35 years, she was part of every major event of my life and more: graduations, funerals, weddings, and many family picnics and trips around Washington State. She generously shared her network, including introducing me to people like Betty Blakeney, a great patron of the arts. Marilyn was a people connector and taught me how to be one.

While a quintessential example of an American lady, she was also different from most Americans I met: she did not shy away from an intense Eastern European debate, and she was refreshingly direct, though always polite.

Throughout our friendship, sometimes we didn't speak for a year or so, but then, some years, we'd speak once a month... She was always so proud of me and wanted to hear the latest of my career and international business travel. Although I moved away, in the last four years (since the pandemic) we spoke and saw each other more frequently than in the previous fifteen, and I am very thankful for that.

To Stan, to Jeff, Steve, and Ted, and to Marilyn's many grandchildren (and now, great-grandchildren), my family and I extend our deepest condolences and the wish that the memory of Marilyn, the way she was in her element, with her class, dignity and style, the ultimate hostess and people connector will always continue to be a blessing in your lives.

Thank you for having shared your mom and grandma with me. Thank you for sharing her with the world.

You guys had a great mom. She was so active and lived life. I have great memories of her. Sorry for your loss

I love you grandma!! I´m so glad you got to meet Wildyn