Obituary of Marlene Yvonne Curley

Marlene Yvonne (Haaland) Curley, a dear one of light, sparkle and love, has been tenderly taken home to Jesus on Dec 5, 2021 at age 90. She was born to Paul and Grayce Haaland in Fargo, ND July 4, 1931, and was joined in Aug 1932 by a brother Jack Donald Haaland. She had a childhood rich in family; cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents; all who shared Norwegian roots, feasts and traditions. When Marlene was age ten, her father moved to Washington to work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and the family soon followed, settling in Port Orchard; after her father left the family, Arlene and Jack were raised with love by their strong beautiful mother Grayce. Marlene enjoyed her life there, and attended South Kitsap High School, where she made lifelong friends. Kind, outgoing and a joyful person, she was selected by her classmates to be Homecoming Queen her senior year. She kept in touch with classmates coast-to-coast well into their 80’s. Marlene worked at Kitsap Bank for a time, and on a ski trip to Stevens Pass, met her future husband James Reginald Curley. They married Sept 19, 1953. Jim was a student at University of WA, so their first home was in Seattle, settling in Ballard. Their only daughter Christina Lynn was born in May 1956. Jim and Marlene decided to move to Edmonds and build a home. When the framing, windows and roof were installed, they moved in and over years completed the home; Marlene learned how to install cedar paneling and was proud of “no hammer tracks.” Marlene also enjoyed gardening and their native species abounded, they loved their home in “the woods” with nurse logs and mountain beaver. When their daughter started school, Marlene was invited by Dr. Arthur Stamey, DDS to join him and his assistant Donna Sonnenberg to learn dental lab work. Her skill, and dexterity grew, making gold and porcelain crowns and bridges; her talents contributed to many beautiful smiles throughout her 23 years with Dr. Stamey. He and his dear family were important to the Curley family, and many adventures were shared, including family ski trips, feasts and artistic endeavors. Artistic and creative, Marlene made Christmas cards, each year a new technique for over 50 years. She leaned calligraphy, studied with Kathy O’Brien at Edmonds Community College, and contributed to a hand lettered hymnal for the Sonshine Society, used in nursing home for years. She sewed clothes for her daughter, knit a Norwegian sweater and Afghans, made mosaic tile for furniture, and grew fuchsias in her lath house and greenhouse. Energetic and in love with the outdoors, Marlene enjoyed skiing, swimming, bicycling to Paine Field and Poulsbo, and of course walking their dear dogs. She was able to climb some local mountains including The Brothers in the Olympics, and Mount Pilchuck in the Cascades. She went with friends on a 50-mile hike in Montana in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and even carried a large heavy iron mule shoe back as a treasure for her horse-loving daughter. She enjoyed many trips to Maui with family and friends and was outdoors from sunrise to sunset. Marlene was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church; she learned how to play hand bells, she volunteered to join the group that counted the offering each Monday and had worked as church administrator for about 4 years until her retirement. Among her great gifts to family and friends was that she reflected Jesus’ love, and that love will last eternally.