Heather Becker and Marilyn Katz at The Conservation Center 30th Anniversary party in 2013 (4th and 5th from the left)
Dear Friends of The Center,
Marilyn Katz served on The Conservation Center's Advisory Board since 2004, but more importantly, Marilyn was my dear friend. I could go into great depth with her achievements and graciousness in serving The Center over so many years, but I would prefer to focus on who she was as a person.
When I met Marilyn in 2002, I was working on publishing a book on public murals in Chicago. Marilyn jumped into the mix and created a dialog with her city contacts of the time, and things changed. Mentioning names is unimportant to this story, as this is about how one person built bridges daily, weekly, monthly, yearly… and how Marilyn helped smaller people like me cross the river.
As I got to know Marilyn, I learned of her personal patterns, and what resonates today is her focus on relationships and using her voice to speak up. I would go to her house to help prep and cook with her for important events for notable people, and what became more important to me was spending that time in the kitchen with Marilyn, making timely decisions about the feast while discussing life's complexities.
Marilyn's magic with social and political activism, building bridges, and making fabulous meals to share with loved ones were important novels on character. The core elements of Marilyn's life were focused on time and activism. What do I mean by that? Marilyn's perceptions and actions were in the now, as she made her interpretations and opinions known. Marilyn was genuine and spoke her mind. The belief that rings true when thinking of Marilyn is all about "having a VOICE." Make your voice known and stand strong for what's important to you.
I have been thinking about the loss of the exceptional Marilyn Katz, and I have been challenged by the loss of a woman with such powerful symbolism. May we mourn our loss of Marilyn and celebrate a woman of action, character, and mission.
We will miss you dearly, Marilyn.
Heather Becker
CEO, The Conservation Center
Heather Becker and Marilyn Katz at The Conservation Center 30th Anniversary party in 2013
