Marcia Ann Broyles, 85 passed away unexpectedly Nov. 6th, 2014 at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, Washington. Marcia chose to fight a recent cancer diagnosis and although her spirit was willing, her body was not able to withstand the complications that arose from treatment. While Marcia’s passing will leave an empty spot in the lives of those who knew her, she said herself that she led “a good and long life”.
Marcia was born in Sharpsville, Indiana on Dec. 9th, 1928, the 3rd of 5 children, to Ross and Ruby Broyles. She grew up a tomboy in that small farming community and played softball for the Sharpsville and Kokomo Girl’s softball teams. She graduated from Sharpsville High School in 1947 and continued on to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. She received the Mortar Board Honor and graduated in 1952 with a BS in Health, PE and Recreation.
After teaching for 1 year in Niles, Michigan she became a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines. She was based in Anchorage, Alaska for 18 years and flew to many native villages and on charter flights to Russia. She flew military charters out of South Carolina for one year and relocated to the Seattle area where she continued to fly Alaska Airlines’ expanding routes to California, Arizona and Mexico. She was the senior flight attendant, “#1”, for many years prior to her retirement in 1998. Marcia was one of the airline’s longest serving flight attendants and their first flight attendant to receive a 45 yr. service pin. At the termination of her final flight, as the plane taxied to the gate, she was honored with the traditional “arc of water” salute, a ceremony normally reserved for pilots only.
Marcia loved watching and playing sports and loved outdoor activities. She was a tennis player, cross country skier, bicyclist, camper, log chopper and avid hiker. She climbed Mt. Rainier in 1976 and hiked many trails in Alaska, New Zealand and Arizona as well as all of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. She knew all of the best trails and enjoyed sharing her thoughts, experiences and the trails themselves with many friends and family. She continued hiking as often as possible, up to and including just this year.
Marcia was an animal lover and became a pet sitter in her retirement years. Her house became a home away from home for many pets over the years and walking dogs through the streets and parks of her Bellevue neighborhood afforded her the opportunity to meet, catch up with and talk to many neighbors, friends and passers by each day.
She enjoyed spending time with her family, including her many nieces and nephews and their children. She is survived by three sisters, Laneis Pence of Bunker Hill, Indiana, Vangie Saul of Kokomo, Indiana and Sharrie Watson of Elkhart, Indiana. She was preceded in death by her brother Jack Broyles.
Marcia was a caring, generous, honest and trusting person. She touched many people and will be greatly missed by her family, neighbors and many friends. A small open house in her honor was held at her home on November 9th, 2014. Per Marcia’s request, her ashes are to be scattered in a designated spot on the Naches Peak Loop Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, at a time to be determined in late summer 2015 “when the snow melts”. This trail was a favorite of Marcia’s with beautiful meadows, a breathtaking view of Mt. Rainier and an abundant supply of huckleberries in late summer. Marcia also requested that a portion of her ashes be returned home to Sharpsville, Indiana to be scattered on her family plot.
Donations may be made in Marcia’s name to: Washington Trails Association , 705 2nd Ave #300, Seattle, WA 98104 or to your local animal shelter.