Marie M. Kirchner passed away on Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 at Montclair Park Care Center in Poulsbo. She was 95 years of age.

She was born on March 13, 1918 in Plain, Wisc.

Marie was a spunky, independent woman. And she came by it honestly, because she was a member of a big family. She was, in fact, the seventh of seven children. She was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin in a little town not far from Madison.

Marie was also smart as a whip — a fact her father realized because he allowed her to go on to high school. Not all of her siblings had this privilege. Her teachers also recognized her excellent brain. She was allowed to leave classes and attend Rotary and Chamber of Commerce meetings and take the minutes there.

After graduation she attended secretarial school in Madison. She had a brief marriage at 20, which took her to Los Angeles, Calif. where she lived for 45 years.

In Los Angeles, she got a job with Walter Wanger Productions. He was a well-known movie producer of that time, married to Joan Bennett, a famous screen actress.

Marie quickly rose to the top of that company and was Walter Wanger’s assistant. She knew many movie stars, including Marilyn Monroe, but ironically, she was not a moviegoer. When that company eventually dissolved, she went to work for Arthur Andersen Company and was there until her retirement at 65.

Eventually, however, Arthur Andersen Company called her out of retirement and she went back to work there until she was 75. At that time, she moved to Bainbridge Island to be near her relatives who lived nearby.

Marie was artistic and had beautiful taste which exhibited itself in her style of dress and decor. She also made beautiful jewelry.

She was a member of the Republican Women’s Club, Welcome Wagon, and Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers. But the love of her life was her church. She attended mass at Saint Cecilia Catholic Church every day. She was a member of Bible study and was also widely read. She donated most of her books to the St. Cecilia library and school and also to the Bainbridge Public Library.

She is greatly missed by all her many friends. She is survived by her nephew, J. (Swede) Loy.

The Rosary Service and Memorial Mass will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church on Bainbridge Island. A reception will follow in Conger Hall.

Please sign the online guest book at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.