Obituary of Marilyn B. Friederich
An extraordinary woman has left us. On May 18, 2018 Marilyn B. Friederich of Webster and Ontario, New York, passed peacefully after several years of adapting to life with Parkinson’s. She touched the lives of so many throughout her 88 years.
Born in Sedro-Woolley, Washington in August 1929 and raised in the then small rural paper mill town of Port Townsend, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, she traveled east by train to study piano and music education at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York. She was a long time music teacher in the Webster Central Schools and taught piano in the home.
From childhood Marilyn loved animals and the outdoors, and she sought to learn something new every day. She encouraged others to do the same, and to take pleasure in the process of learning and growing.
Marilyn loved hiking, backpacking and canoeing, skiing, sailing, animal rescue, horseback riding, dressage and cart driving, and gardening, She also became an artistic photographer and prolific writer. After retiring she expanded her musicianship by being a music librarian and playing French Horn, then percussion in community bands including the Penfield Pops, and the original New Horizons bands of the Eastman Community Education department.
Marilyn thrived on travel in all forms so she could explore and experience life all the world around. Most importantly, she was an amazing and loving mom and grandmother.
Marilyn, an only child, is preceded by her loving parents Harry E. and Mildred Watson Bukowsky, and her first cousin Robert Watson, and his son, Bruce. She is survived by her four children: Jim (Heather) Friederich of Parker, Colorado; Sarah (Jim) Stranz of Penfield New York; John (Karen) Friederich of Seattle, Washington; and Carol (Dag) Lindquist also of Penfield, New York. “Grammy” leaves behind six wonderful grandkids: Ian and Abby, Anna and Karl, and Anders and Anja. Also missing her are her cousins Carol, Doug and Gordon Watson of Australia and Washington, and “cousin Andy” Andrew Erickson of Louisiana who did everything together with her like a brother.
Marilyn also leaves behind countless friends and former students of all ages, and selfless care aides with gratitude that they all were a part of her life story.
Marilyn leaves us all with an amazing legacy of caring deeply about the welfare of people and critters and helping them thrive, to see beauty in and the joy of life.
At her request there will be no services. Her family will be gathering privately in Washington. Charitable giving in her honor may be made to an animal rescue organization of your choice.
