Marlene P. Ciraulo

1942 - 2021

Marlene P. Ciraulo, slipped peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October, 12, 2021, after a protracted battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer. She was 79.

Marlene is survived by Joe Ciraulo, her beloved husband of 61 years, and by her children; Ron and his wife, Terry, of Maple Valley, WA; Steve, of Flowery Branch, GA; Traci, and her husband, Dave Augenstein, of Fox Island, WA; and Scott, and his wife, Nicole, of Ellensburg, WA. Marlene loved and thoroughly enjoyed each of her seven wonderful grandchildren: Lindsi, Mitchell, Alex, Shelby, Sarah, Angelina, and Wren. She was blessed with one great-granddaughter, Aubri, and was excited to know there was another great-grandchild on the way. Marlene is also survived by her brother, Earl (Bosco) Palmer, and his wife, Sheila, of Shelton, WA.

Marlene is preceded in death by her parents, Clayburn F. (Bill) and Nona Palmer, and by her brother, Frank Palmer, all of Juneau, Alaska.

Marlene was born on March 3, 1942, in Tacoma, Washington, to parents Clayburn F. (Bill) Palmer and Nona (Wren) Palmer.

In 1946, Bill set off "to find the good life in the last frontier" of Alaska. On his way to Kodiak, Bill stopped in Juneau. Once the property of the Seattle Rainiers baseball team, Bill was offered a job so that he would play on a local baseball team there. Soon afterward, he brought Nona and their three young children, Frank, Marlene, and Bosco, to their new hometown. The family settled "out in the country" overlooking Indian Cove in beautiful Auke Bay. While their home initially had few modern amenities, it was often filled with the love and laughter of family and friends. Marlene remembered these years fondly. She eventually graduated from Juneau High School in 1960.

Marlene met her life-long companion, Joe, when he was stationed in Juneau on the Coast Guard Cutter Sweetbrier. The two were married in September of 1960. Soon after, they were deployed to the San Francisco area, where their first son, Ron, was born. Joe and Marlene returned to Juneau in 1962, where Joe began his career at the Juneau Police Department, a career that would last 23 years.

Throughout those years, Marlene balanced raising four children with a successful career in state and federal government. Throughout her distinguished career, Marlene's "people skills" served her well, as she would serve as the head of the personnel departments for a number of agencies, including the Alaska Power Administration, in Juneau, and the Bonneville Power Administration's Seattle office. She was universally respected, appreciated, and loved by her colleagues.

Marlene lent her talents and passion by volunteering in the communities she called home throughout the years. She was a Cub Scout den mother, a Little League board member, and an American Cancer Society board member in Juneau. During her later years, while living in Issaquah, WA, she served as a King County District 10 fire commissioner.

Marlene loved her four children and seven grandchildren incredibly. She rarely missed.one of her kids' events. Whether at a baseball game, swim meet, volleyball match, concert, or musical, her distinct voice could be heard above all the rest as she cheered on one of her kids.

Marlene loved music! She seemed to always have a song in her heart. Indeed, she would often wake her children with a song. Marlene lent her beautiful voice to a number of church choirs, including her beloved St. Paul Singers in the 1970s. Probably the highlight of her musical career, the group was near to her heart, because it was comprised of many of her life-long Juneau friends, and because they lifted up the Name of Jesus.

Throughout her entire life, Marlene loved the Lord, and she appreciated her relationship with Him deeply. Perhaps the greatest result of her 9-year battle with cancer was an increased determination to tell anyone who would listen about the Lord's faithfulness throughout her ordeal. He walked with her down the difficult road of cancer and He held her hand right on into eternity in His presence.

A memorial service for Marlene will be held in the chapel at The Shrine of St. Therese, in Juneau, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, July 2, 2022.  Weather permitting, a reception will follow outside on the lawn at the Shrine. All are welcome.