Marian Ellis May

April 25, 1926- April 23, 2020

Marian Ellis May, 93, died 23 April 2020, in San Francisco, CA. Born in Sacramento, CA 25 April 1926, Marian was adopted by Elmer and Irene Ellis and grew up in Chico and Taylorsville where her father was an original PG&E line man. She attended Chico High School and San Jose State College, earning her Bachelor degree in English, in 1948.

Marian had a professional career well before that was common for women. She began in high school as a reporter at the Chico Enterprise newspaper. After college she was a writer and editor for Sunset Publishing, Gousha Publishing, and Ortho Books, specializing in food, gardening, crafts, and travel for her countless articles and several books. She concluded her career as a freelance writer and editor. In retirement, Marian was a member of Continued Learning in Retirement.

In 1950, Marian married “Ted” Theodore J. May, father of her two children. They divorced in 1976. Marian subsequently married her widowed childhood friend, Louis M. Hicks, who pre-deceased her in 2004.

Marian read constantly, her tastes running to the classic Greeks and nonfiction. She was a marvelous cook, serious gardener, avid traveler, and loved being surrounded by friends and family. And, she really loved conversation. As a child of the Depression, Marian liked to collect many things. But her biggest and most lasting collection was of people to whom she initially turned a sympathetic ear and continued to be an encouraging voice throughout their lives.

Survivors include son Alan May, daughter-in-law Blodwen Tarter, daughter Nancy May, stepsons Jeff Hicks and Brian Hicks, four grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren, one greatgrandchild, and numerous friends.

If you wish to honor Marian’s memory please donate to the San Francisco SPCA, as she also loved all dogs. A celebration of her life will be held once pandemic conditions permit.