In Memoriam: Mariana Foliart
Mariana, Tai Chi instructor. Photo: Burlington Senior Center
by Carol Veach, Former Director of Finance
Mariana became an active member of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op in 1984. During her membership, she ran for the board and was the secretary for over 20 years; she developed many friendships within the Co-op family.
Mariana was a true Renaissance woman. She grew up in Kansas during the Great Depression and at age 5, after the death of her mother, lived with her aunt and uncle while her father sought work wherever he could find it. Her aunt was very strict, but Mariana loved living on the farm, with access to three square meals a day. At eighteen, she moved to Washington, where she was one of the first female students admitted to the chemistry department at the University of Washington. In the early 1940s, she left the University of Washington to work as a chemist at Hanford. She was also involved in the community theater in Richland, and it was during this time that she met and married her husband, Jim. They moved to Bellingham, where she completed her education while Jim worked as an electrician. They later moved to Alaska and resided first in Adak and then Unalaska. While Jim worked on the pipeline, Mariana taught school. At that time, the principal only wanted the children to study reading and writing. Obviously, Mariana had her own thoughts of what would be useful life skills for her students, which included home economics, sewing, and social studies. The principal and Mariana could not come to an agreement, and in true Mariana fashion, she left her teaching post to pursue other opportunities that better aligned with her values, including working for the University of Alaska, where she was part of a research group on land rights in the Pribilof Islands. She later went to testify on behalf of the indigenous residents in Washington, D.C.
Fun and adventure were a big part of Mariana's life, too. After leaving Alaska, Jim and Mariana moved to Mobile, Alabama, where they worked as shipwrights. After their ship was completed, Mariana and Jim were part of the crew that navigated it through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast for delivery in Seattle.
I met Mariana shortly after starting my tenure at the Co-op in 2015. I had just been hired as the Finance Director, and she came into my office after a board meeting to introduce herself. It was obvious when she walked into the office that she was well-known and respected. I remember thinking, "Wow, this woman is in her 90s and is totally amazing." She walked with purpose and had the mental acuity of someone much younger. Our friendship began with conversations about the Co-op and over time became more personal. I loved listening to the stories of Mariana's life and adventures. I loved that she was direct, opinionated, and authentic and how I could be my true, authentic self with her. She was always eager to share her new favorite book, a cup of coffee, or a good glass of wine.
She was well loved by many others in her life, including fellow quilters, her Tai Chi students, and most of all, her daughter and nieces. Mariana was fiercely loyal to all of her family and friends and loved deeply. I am so thankful to have had such a meaningful relationship with this wonderful woman. She is survived by her daughter, Kerrick Mainrender, and several nieces and other family members.
