Marlene "Malka" Fricks

Marlene "Malka" FRICKS Marlene 'Malka' 'Kitty' Katz Fricks, 76, of Woodinville, WA, died January 13, 2011 at her home in Woodinville, Washington, of lung cancer. Malka was born October 15, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York to Leah Newman Katz and Harry Katz. She graduated from High School at age 16 and received her Bache lor of Arts Degree from Hunter College in NYC at age 20. As an adventurous young adult, Malka honed her foreign lan guage proficiency traveling and living in Mexico, the Caribbean, North Africa, and Europe. Over the years, she also traveled ex tensively throughout the United States and Canada. A trip to Seattle for the 1962 World's Fair forever changed the course of this NYC Spanish teach er's life. It was there that Malka met her future husband, Patton Cotnam Fricks (deceased, 2001), and they were married Leap Year Day, February 29, 1964 in Anchorage, Alaska. Malka had always wanted to marry a cow boy, but in Pat Fricks she found the ultimate Renaissance Man. In Alaska, Malka taught Spanish and French, and she and Pat took to the skies on Pat's many bush piloting adventures. Together, they survived the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964. Malka al ways remembered that a number of Corning Ware pieces received as bridal shower gifts did not fare very well in the quake, and it tick led her that the Corning Company replaced the entire set! After moving to Seattle, Malka received a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Washington. She enjoyed a long career with the Lake Washington School District as a teacher of Spanish and Health and as a Junior High and High School Counselor. Pat and Malka spent many beau tiful summers together cruising Puget Sound and exploring Amer ican and Canadian ports. Malka's favorite onshore hobbies included dancing - whenever and wherever, playing softball with the coed team of Bellevue Senior Center, and acting in various productions at the Northshore Senior Center where she also served on the Board of Directors. A love of the arts emerged early for Malka, whose desire to sing opera unfortunately culminated with high school chorus. Undaunted, she continued her involvement with the arts throughout her life, and was a member of Woodinville's original Public Arts Advisory Committee. She also served on the original Parks and Recreation Commis sion for the City of Woodinville. Other affiliations included the Hearing Loss Association of America, the Red Hat Society Bothell Babes, and the Queen City Yacht Club Tarettes of which she was a life member. Malka is survived by three Step children: John Fricks, Judy Zybach, and Jacob Fricks, and three grandchildren, Mathew Thompson, Marcus Thompson, and Chelsea Zybach. Two of her stepchildren, Dick Fricks and Nancy Thompson, are deceased. Malka's sister, Marilyn Pellach, died in 1962. She is survived by her dear friend and companion, John Coughlin, with whom she shared many years and many adventures. Above all else, Malka enjoyed and valued her friends. She cher ished connections that spanned many decades and also treasured those of more recent vintage. Malka's friends and colleagues have always appreciated her multifaceted intelligence, her quick wit, her fun and flamboyant style, her forthrightness, her creativity and the totally unique individual she was. Personally and professionally, Malka Fricks touched many lives. Hopefully she knows that, 'Frankly, Scarlett, you are loved and you are missed'. A celebration of Malka's life is being planned at the Northshore Senior Center, February 27, at 3:00 pm. Contributions in Malka's memory may be made to the Northshore Senior Center or a charity of one's choice.