Central Oregonian

Marian Grijalva

February 04, 2013

Marian Grijalva, 88, died at Ochoco Care Center in Prineville, on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. Born in Bend, on July 12, 1924, to Arthur W. and Laura (Pearl) Johnson, she was the granddaughter of Oliver and Jennie Johnson and great-granddaughter of Arnt and Anna Aune, Norwegian immigrants who settled in the Bend area. Marian lived in Oregon before studying nursing in Chicago and California.

Marian chose to become a nurse, beginning by caring for soldiers from the WWII battlefront and followed by a time in surgical nursing and administration. Marian married WWII, 101st Airborne war hero Leonard Grijalva in 1947. Of Marian's long nursing career, she liked to recount the challenge of taking the California then-Reagan administration to task to allow nurses to wear pant suits.

In 1968, Marian and Leonard moved to Alaska in their camper. She worked until retirement in nursing administration at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute. Marian had a life-long love of travel, especially enjoying Norway, Denmark, Greece, Spain and Portugal. She loved her life in Alaska before returning to Oregon.

Marian is survived by her daughter, Karen (Gary) Hinton, California; son, Leonard Grijalva, Jr. (Lex McKenzie), Anchorage; brother, Bruce (Charlene) Johnson, Nevada; three grandsons and two great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Leonard, son Mark, and Brother Art. A private family celebration of her life is being planned.