Marcia Emelia Hardcastle
November 28, 1945 - February 14, 2023
Pismo Beach, California - Marcia Hardcastle, longtime resident of Pismo Beach, joined her lord Jesus on February 14, 2023 following a recent heart attack. Age 77.
Marci was born in Oakland, the third child of Charles and Lillian Temme. Raised in Palo Alto, and a graduate of Palo Alto High school, she obtained a BA in Journalism from San Jose State in 1967. She was employed by the Cupertino Courier, Sunnyvale Standard, and was society editor for the Los Altos News for three years, where she also reported on most local news.
She married Roger Hardcastle, now deceased, and left her profession to raise her two children, each blessed with the love a devoted mother can provide.
Marci moved to southern part of San Luis Obispo County in 1977.
After raising her children, she became the family and religious editor for the Santa Maria Times, and later became the Lifestyles Editor for the Five Cities Times Press Recorder.
She wrote a very entertaining and informative weekly column called "Monday with Marci", where she used her wit and charm to report current events in the area. She also edited travel, food, religion. Arts, entertainment, coming events, weddings, engagements and photo essay pages for the paper.
Marci was active in the community; covering upcoming charitable, educational, and fund raising events in a manner which integrated information about the event with related stories of how ordinary people cope with extraordinary situations, personalizing the stories in a way that led the reader to identify with the feelings of the people involved.
Marci received certificates of appreciation from the American Heart Association, as communications chairwoman from the California Mental Health Association, a community service award from the Santa Maria Mental Health Association, and recognition for her child abuse prevention reporting, as well as her support of a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. She received Honorable Mention for Best Family/Life/Living pages from the National Newspaper Association, and second place for the California Newspaper Publishers Association, for Lifestyle pages.
Marci's hobbies included writing poetry, landscape photography, and cooking. She received honorable mention from the International Society of Poets and the Editor's Choice Award twice from the International Library of Poetry for her poems, "Tiny Hands" and "The Coach Lives."
One of her quotes often spoken to family and friends was "life be good". Her life was indeed good, though she was gone too soon. In a letter to her friends, she had written in the margin the creed by which she lived her life, " Love is everywhere you go if you take it with you."
Her death leaves empty spaces in the lives of her life companion of 42 years, Clinton LeFevre, beloved children, Jason Hardcastle, Amber Hardcastle, Grandson Daryan Hardcastle, and her siblings; Sonja Crain, Callita Moore, and Mark Temme, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

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Published by San Luis Obispo County Tribune on Apr. 18, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Marcia Hardcastle

6 Entries

Rowbear (Bob) Lowman

April 4, 2024

Mushbucket, as several of her very close friends called Marcia, was a truly dynamic part of our lives, vibrant, full of smiles and loads of laughter, all the time being a solid, serious, caring friend. We had many wonderful years together as teens, then into our twenties. I still have a box full of letters she wrote to me, which was part of her self training as a writer and journalist, which I treasure as well as the portrait that I made of her in bar-relief on a metal printing plate. Actually, I would like to pass that on to her family if they are interested. I hold her deep in a special place in my cavern of memories, and appreciate being able to leave this note. I am now in Red Bluff, CA near Redding. Rowbear Lowman on Facebook and email [email protected]

Jay Thompson

April 18, 2023

So sorry to hear of Marci's passing. We were coworkers at the TPR a semi-weekly newspaper in Arroyo Grande. She was part of the fabric of a hardworking staff, clustered in a newsroom where desks were clustered like a bee hive, with a computer system that had more than a few hiccups. We all accomplished alot in each 4-1/2 day weeks (with occasional weekends, of course) where deadline nights stretched well past banker's hours. She was a trooper. Loved to laugh. The woman had style. I miss her wide smile!
- Jay Thompson

Glenn Bolivar

April 16, 2023

My deepest condolences to the family of Marcia Hardcastle. I worked with her at the Times-Press-Recorder Newspaper during the peak analog pre-digital era. Working with Marcia and covering her photo assignments was a simpler life and enjoyable. She held a smile in the newsroom that I remember.

Robert John (Bob or Rowbear) Lowman

April 15, 2023

I could write ever so much about Marcia, or Mushbucket as she was known by me, Steve Olson, Larry, Sue, and many other good friends from Palo Alto High School era, and beyond for a few years when we were all so very close, did so much together. I still have and treasure a trove of letters she wrote to me, practicing her writing style and expressing thoughts of the day. They are a treasure for me and whenever a backward glance is needed, they prove the remedy. Marcia as we knew her, is deep in my soul and I can hear her laugh ringing thru the ages, and see her effervescent smiles and laughing face piercing the cloud of time. I loved and love you my sweet friend. Rowbear or Bob Lowman, now in Red Bluff, CA sharing a morning sunrise with her spirit.

American Heart Association

April 14, 2023

May your memories of the wonderful times you shared with your loved one comfort you and your family, today and always

American Heart Association

April 12, 2023

May your memories of the wonderful times you shared with your loved one comfort you and your family, today and always.

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