While God did not bless me with an abundance of aunts, he certainly made up for it in the person of Marla Alexander.  I have sweet and fun memories of her - taking me to see Doc Andreasen's baby pet skunks, being just one of them.  Besides being related, my Aunt Marla and I were kindred spirits.  She seemed to have a kind of radar or sixth sense where I was concerned and it reached across the country. She could sense things about me from a distance that people in the same room with me could not.  She championed me at one of the lowest points in my life, throwing me a spiritual "life preserver" when I felt completely and utterly alone in my misery.  I was so blessed to have the benefit of her wit and wisdom throughout my life. I miss her but I know she is experiencing pure joy now and she so deserves it.  I "love you loads!"

We will all miss her wit, her spunk, her stubborn strength of character, her bright mischievous blue eyes, her laughter, but most of all we will miss the love she showered upon each one of us.  She does not want sadness from any of us.  She wants us to look on the bright side...the humorous and positive side of the memories she gave to family, friends, co-workers, and medical care professionals.  Instead of looking at her passing as sad and everyone giving our family many "Sorry for your loss." messages...which we totally appreciate BTW...we want to encourage everyone to simply send our family positive stories of Marla Alexander. Give us the humor and happiness that she spread in your lives like how she spreads her creamy butter on her crunchy toast. Send us your positive energy...it raises our spirits higher and higher closer to her as well as to God.

We have set up a Memorial Page through Heritage Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Please feel free to leave us your stories, and fond memories. Instead of sending flowers, if you would instead make a donation to Central Washington Hospital-Transitional Care Unit to honor Marla Dove Alexander. Please choose either Palliative/Diabetes/or Scholarships. 

Marla Dove Alexander was born in Vancouver, Washington December 5, 1936 to William and Opal Alexander.   She met Lew Christensen and they were married for 36 years.  They had daughters Dawn, Starla, and Twila and throughout life she called them her three heavenly bodies, which always got an eye roll from each one of them when introduced that way. She was a fabulous baker and craftswoman and for many years while she ran the household and raised three girls she sold her baked goods and crafts.  4-H was a shared experience with Mom supervising in the areas of Sewing/Knitting/Cooking.    After all the girls went into the public school system she decided to go back to work and was hired by the Ellensburg School District as a Special Ed. Para Pro.  She loved her kids and was able to follow two of her charges through all grade levels.

Her joys in life were her three daughters, teaching her grandchildren about crafts/cooking and that Cornish game hens are NOT baby turkeys, watching football with her son-in-law (lively conversations ensued), a good game of pinochle, ABBA, BeeGees, Movies that were Musicals or had good musical scores (Mama Mia/Fiddler on the Roof), her flowers especially her Day Lilies, her M’s and the trips and time they all spent together, friends, going out to eat, shopping at unique stores, the beach, a good book, and most of all her time delving into the scripture with her heavenly Father! 

She is preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Melvin Alexander.  Survivors include Dawn (Chuck) Lippert, Starla Christensen, Twila (Steve) Watrous, grandchildren Rachel and Cody Lippert, Kendall Shrum, Matt Skidmore, Shawn Lunceford, and Ben Lunceford, two great-grandchildren, and her brother Larry Alexander.

We are planning a Celebration of Life for our Mom next spring.  Details will be sent out in February!