Davis, California native Marlene Snyder had many accomplishments in her life – most notably, Marlene believed in Love!  She signed her notes with Luv, Luv, Luv.  Marlene radiated love to all who knew her, and practiced a ceremonial ritual with friends of writing down “wishes” then burning them, sending the wishes into the cosmic universe of love.

When Marlene was nine years old, her parents, Justin and Wanda Snyder, moved to Enterprise, Oregon to live on a cattle ranch.  Becoming involved in 4H, Marlene raised a prize-winning steer named Samson and took him all the way to the state fair.  Smart as a whip, this cowgirl had the soul of a mermaid, heart of a hippie and mouth of a sailor!

Marlene attended Enterprise Grammar and High School, then graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington in 1975, with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.   And let’s not forget that she was a cheerleader for Gonzaga’s perpetually victorious basketball team – Go Zags!  Marlene went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Clinical Mental Health from Portland State University, then landed a position in Cornelius, Oregon as a School Counselor.

Marlene was preceded in death by her generous and loving parents, Justin and Wanda Snyder, her dear older sister, JoAnne Mangum, and her husband, Bruce Beal.

Bruce was living in Azusa, California when he met Marlene in Portland, Oregon, at a bicycle event for alumni of Lewis & Clark College, Bruce’s alma mater.  As luck would have it, Marlene was friends with one of Bruce’s friends, and as they say, the rest was history.    Returning to her California roots, Marlene and Bruce were married on October 10, 1999, surrounded by the love of friends and family.

An aspiring mermaid, Marlene chose Dana Point as their home by the sea.  As Marlene once remarked, “We feel like the luckiest people in the world for having landed in Dana Point!” She worked tirelessly with Bruce to help set up the Beal Law Firm, performing the executive, administrative, accounting and public relation functions of running a law practice.

While working full-time, Marlene and Bruce joined the Dana Point Yacht Club in 2004, and enjoyed cruising with the club and immersing themselves in Yacht Club life!  Almost immediately, Marlene was tapped to be an Appointed Officer in 2005, and she took on the Role of Club Historian until 2012.   According to Sue Ward, Vice Commodore of DPYC, “Marlene did a tremendous job of collecting historical documents and organization – the job had been open for a while and she had much backtracking to do!! In 2010 Marlene was asked to take on an additional appointed Officer job – that of Club Secretary, a job she held until 2016.  When the Club Newsletter found itself without an editor in 2012, Marlene again stepped up and filled that position for two more years.   Marlene and Bruce were extremely supportive of each other, seldom apart – they loved to be on the dance floor together and were a MAJOR part of our Club’s History!”

If our dear, sweet sister Marlene were speaking to us today, this is what she would say: “My beloved friends and family, how precious you all have been to me. Knowing and loving each one of you was the best accomplishment in my life and my greatest success story!”

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