Marian Weygers Obituary

Marian Weygers
November 7, 1909 ~ September 26, 2008

CARMEL VALLEY – On September 26, our beloved Marian Weygers embarked on a new journey to be with her love, Alex. She was 98 years old. Her passing was peaceful with her niece, Jan and dear friends bedside. She lived a remarkable life of art, love and joy, shared with all who knew her. Marian was born on November 7, 1909, in San Francisco. She was a graduate of UC Berkeley and an accomplished artist. She studied with the Japanese master painter, Chiura Obata. She developed an exacting process of printmaking on sumi paper, inking flowers, leaves and insects to create one of a kind works of art.
   Marian and Alex were early pioneers in Carmel Valley, navigating a dirt road to their homestead in La Rancheria in the 1940's. They lived in a tent on the property overlooking what is now Bernardus Lodge as they crafted their home and studio from salvaged pine slabs from the Cummings Brothers' Saw Mill and windows and doors from the dump. The result was an architectural marvel of curved lines built from 'the waste of the land'. Marian was an early ecologist who fought tirelessly to preserve Carmel Valley's natural charm and view shed and was fearless in opposing developers whose projects threatened the valley.
She loved the local flora, especially the shooting stars which once carpeted La Rancheria and Garland Park in spring. Marian took delight in the small and profound in life and relished the company of good friends. Their home was the center of countless gatherings of friends and family, who sat around the table discussing philosophy, art, science and life.
   Although Marian and Alex had no children of their own, she was a loving and generous Auntie Marian to 'her kids', who were inspired and nurtured through Alex's workshops and Marian's nourishing food and thoughtful encouragement. Her love, guidance and spirit live on in her many friends and family. Marian is survived by her sisters, Alberta and Barbara.
   A private celebration of her life will be held in November.
   Donations in her name may be given to the Sierra Club or The Nature Conservancy.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Monterey Herald on Oct. 11, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Marian Weygers

5 Entries

John Morris

October 26, 2008

Alex and Marian were each gracious, humorous and inspiring. Attending a workshop with them in the 70's brought me into contact with wonderful people and provided me with memories to last a lifetime.

Greg Granoff

October 12, 2008

Marian Weygers and her husband Alex were a steady presence--a fixture of life for our family growing up in Carmel Valley. I could no more remove them from memories of that time than I could remove the sunshine, or the smell of sage brush, or the rustle of oak leaves in the valley's afternoon breezes.
Aside from the shared memories my siblings have already mentioned, as a child I was in awe of them because of something sensed but not understood till adulthood: both Marian and Alex taught by example a lesson about life lived with a joyful, fierce integrity and fearlessness.
Marian especially added to this a heaping dose of lightheartedness and unreserved humor, whooping with infectious delight when she was amused--which was often.
I think of her with love, gratitude and respect.

Peter Granoff

October 11, 2008

A couple of the Granoff family's favorite photos of Marian --

Peter Granoff

October 11, 2008

I will echo my sister's comments, and add that the laughter around the dinner table that was often precipitated by one of Marian's delightful stories or quirky observations about life is one of my warmest childhood memories. It is not just my siblings and I either that were richly rewarded by sharing our lives with Marian and Alex; I think those dinner gatherings, whether in our home or at theirs, were the times our parents seemed the happiest.

Tania Granoff

October 11, 2008

Marian and Alex were such a part of my childhood in the Valley that I cannot imagine a time when we did not know them. They were regulars at the family dinner table, always present for Christmas, and woven into every family milestone event. When I needed advice from loving adults in my life who weren't my parents, I turned to Marian and Alex, and their door was always open.
There are years and years of memories to treasure and revisit, but perhaps they are best summarized by two photos on my wall. In one, a laughing Marian is sitting on the lap of an enormous Santa doll, and in the other, she is holding hands with my daughter, the two of them crowned in flowers and beaming at each other. Marian relished life with abounding humor--this was one of her many gifts and perhaps the one I treasure most.

We loved her dearly.

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