Marlene Dittrich Emerson

          Marlene Dittrich Emerson, a devoted, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend peacefully passed away on December 13, 2024 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Marlene was born to a Danube Swabian German family on September 10th, 1937 in Gross-Betschkerek, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. As World War II progressed, the Soviet Red Army invaded and moved across this region. When the Russians moved on, Yugoslav communist partisans took over the land, routing the German villages. Remaining Germans in Banat had to flee their homes or face extermination. Marlene, her mother Elisabeth Dittrich, Marlene's sister Elfriede, her cousins Gerlinde and Hildagard Gion were imprisoned in a guarded, crowded, Yugoslav communist concentration camp. In a daring escape, shortly before Marlene's ninth birthday (she was the oldest child), this refugee group fled on a four-nation, five-month, perilous foot and train trek to reach the American occupied zone in Austria, to the city of Linz. 

            Marlene's parents shortly applied for an immigration permit to the USA which took 9 years to be approved. In Linz, the post-war labor shortage led to good jobs. During this time, Marlene studied in the public school system and teachers' college with an emphasis on the English language. She was planning to become an English teacher. After the American Embassy determined that Marlene's family did not have any contact with communist parties, they began their journey to the United States. 

            The family came to New York on a refugee ship from Hamburg, Germany in 1956. On the ship, Marlene's English skill resulted in her having a paid job and crew privileges (ice cream) as an interpreter between the ship's staff and the German speaking passengers. From New York the family took a train to Los Angeles, California where their immigration sponsors, the Hepp family from the Saint Stephan's Church Community, happily greeted them. 

           Marlene met Everett Allan Emerson in a coffee shop near UCLA where they both took evening classes. In time, Marlene introduced Everett to many members of her immigrant community. The German Everett learned in high school was a great help in being accepted into her family. They married after a year past their meeting. Two boys came first and happily, a girl came third to fill out the family with a boy-girl balance. 

           Marlene loved her three children. She read many books to them out loud. She loved discussing history and politics with son Everett, music and the arts with son George, and animals and gardening with daughter Elizabeth. At the table her food was fabulous and the conversation interested all. 

           Marlene pursued a career in teaching. To start she taught German and cooking in a private school in California. Everett's job took the family from living in California to Hawaii, then to New York, then to Virginia and finally back to California. Marlene got a teaching job in every location. Marlene's young family lived for fourteen years in Fairfax Virginia, a Washington, D.C. suburb. Marlene took a job as a preschool teacher, then teacher director for Meekins Cooperative Preschool. Marlene brought this once failing school into success, attracting more students and more teachers. She was soon recognized in the community as a skilled teacher and manager. Marlene taught her method and style to new teachers and participated in county wide training programs that led to her becoming the county director in the evaluating and training of new licensed preschool managers and teachers, and establishing the credentials needed for them to be employed. For this, she received a special award when we departed to California. There, in El Segundo for the next ten years, she was the teacher and school director at St. John's Lutheran School. 

                After retiring, Marlene continued with her love for the outdoors. Her interest in Alpine Sports were nurtured during her childhood in Austria where they were most popular. She joined the Sierra Club and climbed countless trails in the California Sierra peaks and passes, often accompanied by her Weimaraner dog, Siegi. The triumph was a climb with son George to the top of Mount Whitney- the highest peak in the lower 48 states. She wrote an article about the experience which was published by the Mammoth Lakes newspaper on the frontpage, "Grandma climbs Mount Whitney."

     Marlene also loved her grandchildren. She enjoyed doting over their brilliance. She provided many learning opportunities for them as she had done previously with her children and students. 

  Fifteen years ago, Marlene started to show the effects of Alzheimer's Disease when it was hard to recognize. It progressed gradually through stages until home care was not safe. Through the last six years, she had been under the superior care of Mrs. Vicenta Mendoza, owner of Angel's Home Care, in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.. 

       Marlene is survived by husband Everett and by three children, Everett & wife Yolanda, George & husband Pierre, and Elisabeth (Newsy), and by five grandchildren, Kaori, Everett, Isabella, Beatriz, and Lena.

      For those wishing to send flowers please instead make a donation in memory of Marlene to the LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund  at supportlafd.org or you can mail donations to: Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation ATTN: LAFD Foundation: 1700 Stadium Way #100. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone (310) 552-4139 

Funeral Attendees please RSVP by notifying  at Everett D. Emerson by call or text at (310) 999-9414 or email: everett84hoo@gmail.com