Marie Predmore

How do you summarize a life filled with joy, challenges to overcome, persistence, a mischievous streak, and a fierce determination to do things her own way? It won’t be easy without our expert editor, but we’ll do our best.

Marie Predmore ’ s story began July 1, 1939 at Mercy Hospital in Gary, Indiana, when she was born to Helen and Al Predmore, promoting Arlene from only child to big sister.

Hobart High School was our mom ’ s launching pad to bigger and better things. She went on to Indiana University, where she met a teaching assistant and her future husband, dropping out of college to join him as he began his career in Wisconsin.  Being married to a Korean immigrant in 1960s Appleton led to some interesting experiences. She recalled beaming with pride as a stranger stopped her on College Avenue to admire her adorable children, then finding herself speechless as they commended her generosity in “ adopting” us before walking away.

After her 10-year marriage ended in divorce, she quickly returned to college, determined to finish her bachelor ’ s degree. A Superwoman ahead of her time, she studied full-time and worked part-time while raising two kids. We were incredibly proud to attend her graduation!

Marie’s work life was quite varied. Determined to keep a roof over our heads during college, she drove a school bus for a short time and spent a summer operating locks and dams for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. After graduation, her love of words led to to writing radio and newspaper ad copy, editing newsletters for her church and the Indiana National Organization for Women, and editing legislation for the state of Indiana. As a volunteer, she recorded books for the blind. For over 20 years, she was a program assistant supporting libraries and librarians at Indiana Cooperative Library Services (INCOLSA).

Marie had many passions in addition to writing and editing, from music, road trips, computers, Star Trek, Pizza Hut, Tupperware, and the "In Death" book series, to teaching us life skills like how to do laundry and change the oil in our cars.  In later years, she loved to get together for lunch with her friends Dennis and Dorothy, then hang out talking and laughing in the restaurant the rest of the afternoon.

A stroke in 2016 significantly impaired her speech, language, and cognition, turning her life upside down overnight. As dementia developed, things got even tougher. Nevertheless, she persisted, finding new ways to have fun and keep everyone around her on their toes.

Among her papers, we found a quote that resonated with Mum as a high school senior. In his 1955 baccalaureate address, Princeton University President Harold Dodds spoke on the importance of individuality: "The danger today is not so much that the world will force you to conform as it is that you will want to conform.” These words reflected and shaped Marie ’ s worldview; she relished living life on her own terms to the end.

Above all, she loved and was loved by her family.  Marie was preceded in death by her parents and sister, and is survived by her favorite daughter and her favorite son, Kim Hah and John Hah.

Thank you for always setting an example for us, whether as a guiding light or a cautionary tale, and for teaching us good judgment, critical thinking, kindness, a love of learning, and the confidence to find our own way in the world.  We hope we make you half as proud as we are of you, the best mom ever.  We love you, mom!

We are deeply grateful to Heather Krug and student therapists at the UW Speech and Hearing Clinic, the UW Geriatrics Clinic, Dane County ADRC, many caregivers at Heritage Senior Living, and our Agrace palliative care and hospice teams. Thank you for helping Marie maintain her independence and dignity as she lived with Wernicke ’ s aphasia and eventually dementia.

If you ’ d like to make a gift in her memory, she would’ve liked you to support National Public Radio, Girl Scouts, or UWGB.

https://www.npr.org/about-npr/187533209/individual-gifts

https://www.girlscouts.org/en/adults/donate.html

https://www.uwgb.edu/foundation/what-to-support/academics-(1)/

Bonus fun fact if you’re still reading: Marie was named after her mother, so they were both Helen Marie Predmore. Grandma was adamant that they should never become known as “Big Helen” and “Little Helen,” so they called the baby Marie.