Marnie Arvilla Abbett Curtis, 53, of Lusby, Maryland, died on January 16, 2023 at home surrounded by loved ones. Marnie was born in October 1969 to John P. Abbett and Carla M. (Torgersen) Novess.
Marnie, the youngest of three girls, was the daughter of a National Park Service ranger. She grew up in and around national parks in Nevada, California, Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Michigan. Marnie graduated from Glen Lake High School in Benzie County, Michigan in 1987 and moved to Utah. Marnie, who has embraced the mantra “The Road Less Taken,” spent her twenties trying her hand at a variety of jobs, from being a forklift driver in a warehouse to being “The Avon Lady.” In 1993, Marnie bought a run-down house in Salt Lake City and spent a year doing repairs herself, hanging drywall, installing/replacing fixtures and fittings and removing an alarming number of animal bones from the crawl space. Eventually, Marnie packed up her pickup truck and dog and explored the Pacific Coast as far as Canada, camping and experiencing the joys of open-road tire maintenance. In the late ’90s, Marnie became a licensed massage therapist and practiced bizarre spa wraps on visiting sisters who came to town. In April 2000, Marnie married her soul mate Shane in Salt Lake City. In 2001, Marnie and Shane became the proud parents of a daughter, Andi May, and relocated to Colorado. In 2003, Shane enlisted in the US Navy and the family was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and Misawa, Japan. The family returned to the States in 2012, although Misawa has always felt at home with the family.
In 2017, Marnie was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. With no time for self-pity, she struggled through surgeries, procedures and chemotherapy, and vowed to see her daughter into adulthood. Even in her final days, Marnie looked to the future. She was strong-willed (some would say stubborn), had a gritty sense of humor, and loved to laugh. One of Marnie’s most notable qualities was the number of power tools she owned and her ability to use them.
Her father, John, predeceased Marnie in January 2018. Marnie will remain in the hearts and minds of Shane, Andi; her mother Carla (Mormor); stepmother, (rosemary); sister, Tova (Joe); sister, Maisie (Greg); numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family; and loyal friends. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. A private celebration of Marnie’s life is planned. Please share your thoughts and memories with Marnie’s family here or at www.legacy.com.
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