Marian Myers Kira

MARIAN MYERS KIRA
ITHACA - Marian Myers Kira died at home in Dover, Delaware, on May 12, 2008, surrounded by family and friends. A native of Ithaca and resident of Cayuga Heights, Marian was born on February 2, 1919, to William I. and Marguerite T. Myers. She grew up on the Myers poultry farm and attended Ithaca schools. In 1938, she graduated from the New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell with a B.S. degree.
The following year, she married John Kahler MacNab, a Hotel School classmate, and moved to Bismark, North Dakota, where he managed the Prince Hotel. They had two children in North Dakota: a daughter, Ann, born in 1940; and a son, John, born in 1942. In 1943, when John was called for military duty in World War II, Marian brought the children back to Ithaca to stay with her parents on the farm. After the war, Marian and her family spent the next years traveling between Florida in the winter and Montana in the summer to accommodate John's decision to manage resort hotels. During this time, Marian concentrated her efforts on providing as much stability as possible for the children and volunteering in school and church activities in their temporary residential communities. In 1958, the MacNabs were divorced and Marian returned to Ithaca with her son to attend graduate school at Cornell.
In 1960, after completing her graduate degree, she became a faculty member and later a Cornell Cooperative Extension administrator. She ended her career in 1983, as a Senior Affirmative Action Program coordinator, traveling to every county in the state to work with resident staff on educational initiatives for minority and other disadvantaged families. She also served as consultant to a number of state and federal agencies.
After retiring in 1983, she became active in a number of committees and organizations. Beginning as a hospital volunteer, she served as President of the Hospital Auxiliary for two years, Annual Hospital Fund Committee chair twice, and a member of the Hospital Board of Directors. She was also chair of the Community Relations Committee and a member of the Hospital Corporation. She was a member of the Tompkins County United Fund Allocations Committee and team captain for two years. Also for the county, she was appointed to membership on the Community Affirmative Action Committee.
Marian ran for office on the Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees in 1983, and served for nine consecutive two-year terms. She was chairman of the Public Safety Committee for the past ten years and had a fire engine dedicated to her for continued support of volunteer fire fighters in Cayuga Heights Village.
Marian was predeceased by both of her children and her husband, Alexander Kira. She is survived by three grandchildren; and son-in-law, John Pendergrass; also many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were under the direction of Lansing Funeral Home.