Marilyn Louise Vraniak

Marilyn Louise Salts Vraniak, 72, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 17, with the love of her life by her side, just shy of her 73rd birthday after a lengthy and brave battle with metastatic breast cancer.

Marilyn was born in Swickley, Pennsylvania, the oldest daughter of Shirley and James Salts. As a child she and her family moved to Spooner, Wisconsin. She graduated from Spooner High School and went on to attend the University of WI Superior - the "city girl," where she met and married the "country boy," Terrance (Terry) Vraniak, at the age of 20.

At 21, they married and had two children. In 1979, Terry had the opportunity to fly for Sunshine Copters, a helicopter tour company in Circle, Alaska. Before he could commit to the opportunity, Marilyn had to be offered the chance to come up and join him. His boss agreed, and so the adventure began. Marilyn joined Terry in Arctic Village living in a tent and helping cook. They decided as a couple it was the right move. Terry requested a postal service transfer, and Marilyn began staging the move alone with two small children and the help of family. They left Wisconsin in March of 1981 and the rest is history.

Marilyn started her medical career at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital as a transcriptionist, a field that fascinated her. She loved learning about anatomy and physiology and built professional relationships based on that intrigue, working gradually into the medical billing world. She became the Office Manager for Radiology Consultants, and remained working there due to her amazing dedication and work ethic for 20-plus years, and later moved on to being the office manager for Dr. William Wennen also in Fairbanks, eventually working from home after relocating to Anchorage, until her retirement in 2016. She loved nothing more professionally than to serve and help people and that love to serve others has been ingrained into the fiber of her children and her grandchildren.

She and Terry built a solid foundation to fiercely love respect, have work ethic and honor the needs of others. The apples of her eye were her grandchildren. She was the quintessential "Nama" as her grandchildren (and even friends of her grandchildren) called her. She loved nothing more than spending quality time with them, and made sure that the soundtrack from "Mama Mia," her favorite with the kids, was always playing in the background whenever everyone was together.

Marilyn's happy place was Kona, Hawaii, and Hawaii had been their happy place together since their first trip in 1983 as a small family. She would sit at every sunset on the lanai with a mai tai and the love of her life, Terry, and reminisce about their many years together, laugh and cry over the memories they have had with their family and friends, and share gratitude. Many of the trips taken with their children and grandchildren as time permitted, every year enjoying some of their favorite memories as a family. In terms of hobbies, she loved stained glass and found pleasure making pieces - forget me nots were her favorite gifts - and giving them to the people she loved. She had more glass than she had space for in their Anchorage garage, and always had plans and loved to show everyone as she completed a piece. She also loved to bake for others, and it wasn't uncommon as a neighbor to find a loaf of banana or pumpkin bread on your porch from her, or frozen homemade chocolate chip cookies in the freezer ready for when her children, grandchildren (or Terry) would go looking for them - no one could bake anything like her.

She was larger than life, and made friends wherever she went, whether it be at Costco at the samples table, the bank teller line, a sports event while she was watching her kids or grandkids - there wasn't anyone who didn't love her engaging, loving, compassionate personality, and no one was a stranger. Her beautiful smile and brilliant blue eyes lit up every room she walked into, and her energy and love for life and adventure drew you in; to know Marilyn was to love her. In 2011, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and was in remission until 2022 when had had metastasized. She fought as hard as she lived, with the support and love of her family until she bravely made the decision that she simply could no longer fight.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Shirley (Glanville) Salts and James Garvey Salts; her brothers, Gary and Thomas Salts; and her sister, Sherry Salts Dysart, and we imagine it was quite the party and celebration to welcome her home and into their arms, free of pain. She is survived by her husband, Terrance Vraniak; daughter, Nicole Vraniak (Toma) Caldarea; her son, George (Traci Helmueller) Vraniak; granddaughters, Morgan (Calvin) Wallis, Zoe Caldarea, Hayden Caldarea and Riley Vraniak, and grandson, Noah Vraniak; sisters, Patty Salts Farb, and Nancy Salts; as well as many very loved nieces and nephews.

Marilyn has requested no formal service, but in lieu of flowers, she requested that donations be made to the Fairbanks, Wasilla or Anchorage food banks to help anyone in need.