Marianne Demuth

Marianne Demuth (Weiby) died March 12, 2024, of natural causes at her home in Vancouver WA.  She was 93 years old.

Marianne was born in Los Angeles CA, to Henry and Pauline (Godsil) Weiby.  Her father was a travelling shoe salesman and, by 1934, had moved the family to Portland, Oregon.   They settled in The Madeleine Parish, where Marianne attended grade school and made lifelong friends.  After completing her freshman high school year at St. Mary’s, Pauline decided that her daughter needed to experience the “real world” and so Marianne was sent to Grant High School, where she graduated in 1949, again cultivating lifelong friends along the way.  In later years, those friends came to call themselves The Grant Grannies, and continued to get together for beach trips, mountain trips, and lunches.

Marianne attended the University of Oregon where she pledged to the Delta Gamma sorority.  She completed her education at Marylhurst and began her teaching career. She taught second grade at Russellville Elementary and first grade at Boise School in Portland.

While she was teaching, a mutual friend introduced her to young Freightliner executive, Richard ‘Dick’ Demuth.  The couple were wed in 1959.  Marianne continued to teach until the adoption of their first child, David, in 1961, followed by Meg and Helen.  In 1968, Dick was rising through the ranks at Freightliner and was transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia.  It was there that they adopted their fourth child, Bill.  During the family’s 13-year tenure in Canada, Marianne was active in the Catholic community.  She was a member of the Catholic Women’s League and taught second grade Catechism.

Upon their return to Oregon in the early 1980’s, the family settled on Portland’s West side.   Marianne continued to actively live her faith, volunteering at church and with the Chaplaincy at Meridian Park Hospital, where she brought communion to Catholic patients.   After Dick’s retirement, they were both continually active in their church community, especially in the building of the new Resurrection Parish in Tualatin, formerly St. Anne’s on the Marylhurst campus. During this time, Marianne and Dick also built their beautiful beach house in Cannon Beach.

Marianne is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved older brother Jack, and the love of her life, Dick.  She is survived by her children David (Kristin), Meg (Dave), Helen (Justin), Bill; grandchildren Erin, Adam, Cameron, Hannah, Jordan; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at 12 p.m. at Resurrection Parish,  21060 SW Stafford Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062.  There will be a Rosary 30 minutes prior to the mass.  A reception will immediately follow mass.  

Interment to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  At Marianne’s request, please make donations to St. Vincent de Paul or The Blanchet House in lieu of flowers.