Marian Albright Schenck

Marian Albright Schenck
December 21, 1921 – April 17, 2015

In the early morning of April 17, 2015, Marian Albright Schenck, passed away from natural causes in Red Bluff, California. She was 93. Marian is survived by her beloved husband of 42 years, Roswell Schenck, her children, John Ford and Susan Ford Isaacson, five grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.
Marian was born in Berkeley, California, on December 21, 1921. She enjoyed her early childhood days in Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks where her father, Horace Albright, was Superintendent and Field Director for the National Park Service. Few people can say they had a bear as a "pet" and elk in the yard. She met Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover when they visited Yellowstone and years later attended gatherings at The White House where she played behind the scenes with children of the staff. Living near Washington, D.C. and later in New York City, Marian was surrounded by her parents' acquaintances in the National Park Service, historical societies, and other government agencies. This led to an intense interest in the history and preservation of natural and historical places. Marian attended both Stanford University in California, and College of William and Mary in Virginia, graduating from the latter in 1943 with a degree in history.
Marian's adult life is an eventful journey of marriage to Jay Ford and raising their two children, living in Connecticut then California. She filled the roles of Little League Mom, collector of political campaign items with son, John, and horseback-riding cheerleader for daughter, Susie. Los Angeles, California was also home to her parents, Grace and Horace Albright. She immersed herself in her father's massive collection of correspondence and documents from his lifetime at the forefront of the conservation movement. Marian, realizing the wealth of history contained in his paperwork and large library, dove in and became Albright's "pen", recording his memoirs and recollections.
After marrying the love of her life, Roswell Schenck, aka Sam, and later, the passing of her parents, Marian relocated to the beautiful foothills east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They settled into their dream home where research and writing became her true passion. She completed several magazine articles, small books, and a historical recounting of the early years in the National Park Service, entitled The Missing Years. She was a featured oral historian for the PBS program, "The National Parks, America's Best Idea", a mini-series by Ken Burns. That entire experience was an honor and a thrill!
When Marian was not writing, they traveled to Jackson Hole, near the Grand Tetons, and other national parks, visited their children in California, and just had a lot of adventures! In Albuquerque, Ros built beautiful, intricate dollhouses and cork-adorned clocks. (The corks coming from his rather extensive wine collection.) They had many dear friends, neighbors, and visitors from afar. Life was glorious!
It was only one year ago that, at ages 92 and 98, Marian and Ros moved out of their beloved home and to California, near Susie. They have enjoyed many visits with Marian's family as well as Ros's two children, four grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren. It is a blessing that they did not spend one night apart from each other in this last year! It was always their wish to be together, no matter what.

Our family can be reached at: 22705 Juanita Ct. Red Bluff, CA 96080.
Ros's address: 705 Luther Rd. #112 Red Bluff, CA 96080