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Laurelle Thompson Marsch ’49

Laurelle Thompson Marsch ’49, April 3, 2009, in Anchorage, Alaska. Lou moved with her family to Portland from Whitefish, Montana, at the start of World War II. She attended Reed for nearly three years. Following a bicycle trip through Europe, she arrived in Anchorage in 1949. She worked the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA, later FAA). She married Alaska-native and fellow CAA employee Burton R. Marsch in 1952; they spent 18 months in the Philippines. On their return to Alaska, they circumnavigated the globe. The couple traveled around the U.S. and relished the experiences of camping and fishing, canoeing and clamming, and berry picking in Alaska. Lou was drawn to supporting non-profit organizations and conservation and environmental issues. Survivors include two sons, and two grandsons. Her husband died in 2003.

Appeared in Reed magazine: November 2009