Former Sitkan Marylin Ann Carty of Kalama, Wash., died April 23, 2016, from ovarian cancer. She was 66.
Marylin was born in Chehalis, Wash., to Gerhard (Jerry) Albrecht and Eileen (Carty) Albrecht. She attended Kalama schools from first grade through 12th, graduating in the class of 1968. She attended Clark College for two years, then worked for the Kalama Bulletin newspaper.
She married classmate Dan Newman in 1971; they divorced in 2005. While a U.S. Navy and then college wife, she worked in three libraries, in California and Washington.
She moved to Sitka in 1975, and worked at Old Harbor Books for nearly 25 years. During that time, she was active in the five-state regional booksellers’ association, PNBA, and served on its board, including a term as president.
She was also a founding member of a writers’ symposium (now Island Institute) and served on its board for the first 10 years.
Marylin was active in school trips, including one to Japan and one to Russia and Poland. Among other destinations, she especially loved Paris and San Francisco, where she spent a school year.
Marylin moved to North Carolina in 2001 and found her “best job ever” as the first manager of a new library branch in Claremont, N.C. She returned to Kalama in 2006, and held several jobs before retirement in 2012.
She is survived by two brothers, Arnold Albrecht of Deer Park, Wash., and Joel Albrecht of Kalama; a sister, Melissa Albrecht, and her partner, Robert Fugman, of Kalama; a niece, two nephews, two aunts, many cousins, and her best friend since age nine, Paris Patrick of Atlanta. She is also survived by her honorary family, Robert’s daughter, Laura Johnston, and her children, Aaron and Katherine, of Redmond, Wash.
No services will be held. Contributions in Marylin’s memory may be made to blood banks or blood drives; libraries, friends of library groups or literary organizations helping all ages to read; and animal rescue organizations or shelters.
