Mariann Oberg, age 90, passed into the loving arms of her Lord on Friday, January 22, 2016 at North Valley Extended Care in Tonasket. Mariann was a lifelong resident of Tonasket, born on August 13, 1925 to parents Alvah and Adelia Simons.

She graduated Tonasket High School as Salutatorian in 1943 and then completed her training as a Registered Nurse in Spokane at St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing through the Cadet Nursing program at Washington State College. She practiced as a surgical nurse at Biles Memorial Hospital in Omak, Wash. before marrying her high school sweetheart Marvin Oberg of Havillah, Wash. on May 15, 1948. They raised their family and worked side-by-side on the Oberg Family Ranch near Havillah. They had three children Ivan, Lyle and Marcia, to whom they passed on a strong sense of stewardship and community service. She was strongly committed to her family, attending all of her children’s and grandchildren’s musical performances and sports events. She was profoundly connected to her extended family and loved attending the reunions.

Mariann was connected deeply to her many communities; she helped organize her high school reunions, participated in the leadership of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, the Immanuel Lutheran Church and the American Cancer Society.

Mariann enjoyed her homestead duties, making an art of cooking for large groups of farm hands, canning and preserving the harvest from her garden and passing those skills on to whomever was in her kitchen at the time. Numerous nieces and nephews loved to spend the summer with her and Marvin on the ranch. She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed many special outfits for her family. She loved to travel, visiting far flung family and friends across North America and Europe. She learned to ski in her 50’s while taking her grandsons to lessons at Sitzmark Ski Hill. She loved to swim and imagined Heaven to be like floating in Lost Lake on a warm summer day… followed by a bowl of ice cream.

Mariann was preceded in death by her husband Marvin and brother Russell Simons.

She is survived by her children: Ivan (Gerri), Lyle (Sandy) of Tonasket and Marcia (Randy) of Seattle. She also has four grandchildren Matt, Josh (Rebecca), Michael (Erin) and Casey (Michele) and three great grandchildren Emma, Odin and Oliver.

Mariann spent the latter part of her life as a resident of North Valley Extended Care where she was a mentor to many nursing students and a friend of the staff who cared for her. Mariann’s family is very thankful for the wonderful care that she received there.

A private family burial will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 with interment at the Tonasket Cemetery with Pastor Dan Kunkel officiating. A celebration in her memory will take place in the spring time, the date will be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Women’s Mission League, the American Cancer Society or the North Valley Hospital Foundation.

Bergh Funeral Service and Crematory is in care of arrangements.