Marilee Titus' Obituary
Marilee Anne Mason Titus a longtime resident of Pierce County, Washington, died July 14, 2024. Born in 1934 to George Steiner Mason and Ruby Antoinette (Powell) Mason, in Ashland, Oregon, Marilee was raised with two younger brothers, Dean Steiner Mason. and George Weslie (aka David) Mason, to a postal carrier Dad, and a former teacher Mom. As part of a large extended family in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, the Powell and Mason families were active in their community and the Ashland United Methodist Church.
Encouraged by parents, Marilee learned to play the piano, then took up the trombone in school (an unusual choice for a girl!) These musical skills were key to earning spending money by playing in the Ashland City Band, and by giving piano lessons. Marilee told of working after school at a drugstore fountain counter, to earn funds to sew the unique styles she found in Vogue magazine. Graduating from Ashland High in 1952 with a music scholarship to Willamette College, she attended for one year, then returned home to continue her studies at Southern Oregon College of Education. Following WW2, teachers were in great demand, as the soldiers were returning stateside to use their GI Bill and raise families.
At an autumn school dance, Marilee met a tall, farm boy from Stayton, Oregon. Harold “Hal” Stanley Titus was one of a handful of athletes on scholarship who lived in the basement of the gym (aka Gym Rats), rising early before classes to start the furnaces, and clean the buildings. Harold (Hal) and Marilee were married after their sophomore year in 1954. They lived in a tiny trailer near campus, working toward their goal of becoming teachers. Prior to their senior year, Marilee put a pause on her studies to work full time at the college, to enable Hal to finish his final year, by typing his papers. Upon earning his degree, Hal was immediately drafted into the U.S. Army for two years. After training, Hal was stationed at Fort Lewis in 1957. They loved the beauty of the South Puget Sound region and put down roots in the community south of Tacoma, now the city of Lakewood.
Marilee taught weekly piano lessons to many students, while Harold taught in Steilacoom’s Pioneer School for 10 years, then moving on to Rainier High School to teach and coach, and finishing his teaching career at Orting High School, all the while raising their three children- sons Raoul Stanley, Terry Mason, and daughter, Laura Jean (Roth/Stewart). The Titus family were active members of Lakewood’s United Methodist Church for many years- the young married group called Couple’s Club; singing in the church choir; and for some years, Marilee led a Children’s Choir.
Marilee resumed taking college courses in the mid 1960’s, completing her teaching degree (with a focus on music) at the University of Puget Sound, then filled in as a substitute teacher in nearby elementary schools. In September of 1971, Fort Steilacoom Community College hired Marilee onto its secretarial staff. This newly formed college had its offices in a former grocery store, holding some of the evening classes at Clover Park High School. Marilee was on the cover of the Fall/Winter 2002/2003 edition of the “PierceView” periodical as being one of the few early employees still with the college after its start 35 years prior. She thrived working as a Program Developer in Adult Education in the Department of Instruction. As FSCC grew and built its first campus on Far West Drive in 1974, its name morphed to Pierce College offering classes in multiple locations. Her role creating a wide variety of non-credit classes in the Continuing Education department reached its conclusion on December 31, 2003.
In July of 1982, Harold passed at age 49 from pancreatic cancer. Marilee grieved her great loss, adjusted, and refocused her life, to fill it with other things she loved. At 61 years of age, she completed her Master’s Degree in Education, by taking classes at the University of Washington, the Tacoma campus.
After 32 years in the education field, Marilee retired from the education field, leaving her more time to read books, travel, visit art/ history museums, Seattle Symphony and Opera, and yearly visits to Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival.
In addition to her husband Harold, Marilee is preceded in death by her parents, George and Ruby Mason, a dear Aunt Cora Elizabeth Mason, brother Dean Steiner Mason, and eldest son, Raoul Stanley Titus.
Loved and admired by many, her surviving family includes brother George W. (Christine); Children: Laura (Thom); Terry (Vicki); widow of Raoul (Lori); Grandchildren: Daniel, Rebekah (Jesse), Crystal, Joshua (Leah), Jacob (Maddy), Benjamin and Stefan (Evonne); and a Great-Grandchild: Dashiell; along with cousins, nieces, nephews, and a large circle of former coworkers and friends to include civic groups like Lakewood United, Zonta, AAUW, Lakewood Women in Business, Pierce College Retirees, Learning Is ForEver.
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