Marsha Helen Maklin (Holbrook)

June 7, 1952 - December 1, 2002   (50)

Marsha was born in Lansing, Michigan on June 7, 1952.  In 1962, she moved with her mother and father, Irma and Atco Maklin, and her two brothers, Mark and Bruce, to Tucson.  Marsha attended Catalina High School where, among her other achievements, she was president of the junior class and a delegate to Girl’s State.  In the summer between her junior and senior year, Marsha traveled in Europe with a student tour group.  She graduated from Catalina in 1970 and attended the University of Arizona, receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education.  For more than 25 years, Marsha was a dedicated teacher who loved kids and taught with selflessness and humor.  She was an especially wonderful reading teacher and taught in several elementary and middle schools in Tucson.  Marsha also spent a summer teaching reading and map skills to troops in South Korea and a semester at Northern Arizona University teaching Native American Studies and English.  She was active in several education associations and was president of the Tucson Area Reading Council.

Marsha married Paul Holbrook on December 20, 1981 and together they spent 21 wonderful years raising their three sons, John Alexander “Hondo” (17), Anthony Zivan (12) and William Andrew (10).  All the boys play baseball and Marsha spent countless hours watching games, organizing events, making phone calls and working booths to support and promote little league baseball.  She served little league in many capacities over the years, from team parent to president of the Sabino Canyon Little League.  Parents and coaches could always count on Marsha to get the job done, whatever the job was.  Her boys could always count on seeing her in the stands, cheering them on.

Marsha will be missed for so many reasons.  Her overwhelming love as a mother and wife.  Her compassion and dedication as a teacher.  Her generosity and kindness as a friend.  Her strength and endurance in the face of the many challenges life brought her.  And her calm smile, which hinted at the sense of humor with which she lived her life.

To honor Marsha, donations may be made in her name to breast cancer research or to the Sabino Canyon Little League (PO Box 30698, Tucson AZ, 85751), where a memorial fund in Marsha’s name has been established.