Marian Lee Allen Baxter.

Marian Lee Allen Baxter was born on February 1, 1944 in Caldwell, Idaho. She passed away on January 8, 2010 at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Washington. She was the second child born to Lacy Levell Allen and Wilma Rumley Allen. Marian moved to the Tri-City area in 1946 and to Benton City in 1950. She attended all 12 years of school at Kiona-Benton. After graduation from high school, she married Terry Van Allen Kendall. Marian and Terry were blessed with a daughter, Kimi Lee Kendall Canham. Kimi made Marian into a grandmother three times, with precious grandsons John Lacy Kendall, Mitchell Dean Canham, and Dustin Lee Canham.

Marian twice more married, first to Ronald Schauf and then to Thomas Baxter. Marian was blessed with several step-children and step-grandchildren which she loved deeply. Marian loved and enjoyed her family. She will be missed by her family, especially her mother, Wilma, brother, Vey Marjorie, and grandsons John and Mitch, nieces and nephews. Marian was employed at several jobs during her working career and retired after nearly 18 years as a postal clerk in the Benton City Post Office.

Marian had deep feelings for all of her friends, including those from her school years, her work associates, postal customers, and those she met while serving as an officer in the American Legion Auxiliary Post 115 in Benton City. She was very outgoing, and strangers were not strangers for long. She was gifted with the ability to make friends easily and often, and friends were treasures for her.

Marian was fortunate to have friends Flint and Kasey Jones, who gave her special care and comfort in her time of illness. All of Marian's friends will miss her and feel the loss of her bubbly personality and her sincere expression of joy in being with them.

Marian had a special tenderness toward animals, having adopted several dogs and cats over the years. She leaves behind two special feline friends, Tig and Ms. Stache.

Marian was preceded in death by her father, Lacy Allen, daughter Kimi, grandson Dustin, and her husband Tom Baxter.

A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church in Benton City on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 11:00 am. A reception will follow at the American Legion Post 115 in Benton City.