Marna King

Marna Jeanene King, 79, died Sunday June 23, 2019, at Agrace HospiceCare, Fitchburg, WI. Marna was born August 9, 1939, to Helen K. (Gebhart) and Lester J. King in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from Dayton's Fairview High School in 1957. Her high school interest in theatre led to a bachelor's degree in 1961 from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama in 1964.

After graduation, Marna accepted a two-year instructional appointment with the Yale School of Drama and then worked at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago before joining the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Theatre and Drama in 1968. At UW, she was responsible for teaching costume history and design, designing costumes for university productions and overseeing the department's costume shop. Between 1986 to 2000, she received numerous research grants that allowed her to explore contemporary German theatre, both before and after the reunification of East and West Germany. Her writings and the materials she collected during this period are now housed at Die Akademie der Ké�nste in Berlin and document nearly 500 live theatre productions. She retired from the UW as Professor Emerita in 2002.

Marna is survived by her sister-in-law Rita King and her nephew David King, both of Dayton, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Robert. She will be buried in Dayton.

We extend thanks to the staff of Oakwood Village University Woods' assisted living and memory care units, Senior Helpers and Agrace HospiceCare for the care and kindness shown Marna through her journey with Alzheimer's. Thank you, too, to Jennifer for her many years of support. And we thank Fred for all the joy, comfort and inspiration he gave Marna.

Madison area friends and colleagues are invited to a celebration of Marna's life on Friday, June 28 at 3 p.m. in the Heritage Oaks building at Oakwood Village University Woods, 6205 Mineral Point Rd, Madison.

If you wish, contributions in Marna's memory may be made to her favorite summer music event--Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society at https://bachdancing.org/
or to any charitable organization of your choice.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434