Obituary for Marian Roberts Jabbusch
Marian Roberts Jabbusch
6/5/1923 – 10/22/2021
Marian Roberts Jabbusch died on October 22, 2021, at Maple Ridge in Freeland WA. She
was born in Elyria, Ohio on June 5, 1923, to David and Maude Roberts. She had resided here on
Whidbey Island for the last 4 years.
She met her future husband Robert Jabbusch while they were both in high school. WWII
intervened while he was at college at Ohio State as a student/athlete, but on his return, they were
married in 1945, and they lived in Columbus until graduation.
Marian was the ultimate organizer and family caregiver, as they moved from Ohio to Illinois
and Milwaukee, before settling in Green Bay, Wi. With each move it seems there came another
child, giving her a total of five.
After children were raised, she and Bob moved to Chicago and then Fresno, CA before full
retirement in San Diego. Moving seemed to be her life plan, as they moved back to Illinois to help a
daughter, did another return residence to Ohio, before being back in San Diego where her husband
died in 2008. Ultimately, she came to Seattle to be near her son.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bob Jabbusch, her siblings Jim Roberts,
Margaret Hull, and John Roberts, and a granddaughter Sarah Tarpley. She leaves behind one
sister Marilyn Schutte of Rochester NY; five children, Mark Jabbusch (Barbara) of Freeland, WA,
Laura Tarpley (Kent) of Jacksonville, FL, Lynn Vandertie (Rick) of New Zealand, David Jabbusch
(Roberta deceased) of Littlefield, AZ, and Mary Ann Jabbusch of Kaysville, UT. She has seven
remaining grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Fun facts: 1) Marian loved to travel. She followed her husband to work assignments in
Fakenham, England, Schio, Italy, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. She accompanied her daughter on many
business trips including Japan, Canada, and Europe. She made a pilgrimage to Islay Scotland with
her dad to see the site where he survived a WWI shipwreck. 2)She and Bob generously organized a
special trip with each grandchild for their 11th birthday. 3) She was an avid bridge player and golfer
and intense reader and passed those passions on to me. 4) Marian was also a gifted volunteer,
with Girl Scouts, PTA, church functions at each church she attended, and with several hospital
auxiliaries.
Most importantly she leaves behind a legacy of tremendous friendships (including PEO) and
of being an encouraging and supportive mother, of an enduring and loving wife, and of an abiding
and unwavering faith in Jesus.
A small memorial gathering of family will occur on-line; and her ashes will be taken to
Wisconsin to be laid next to her husband in the spring of 2022.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation in her name to PEO, a philanthropic women’s group that promotes education at https://donations.peointernational.org/peo-donation-foundation. Or a charity of your choice
6/5/1923 – 10/22/2021
Marian Roberts Jabbusch died on October 22, 2021, at Maple Ridge in Freeland WA. She
was born in Elyria, Ohio on June 5, 1923, to David and Maude Roberts. She had resided here on
Whidbey Island for the last 4 years.
She met her future husband Robert Jabbusch while they were both in high school. WWII
intervened while he was at college at Ohio State as a student/athlete, but on his return, they were
married in 1945, and they lived in Columbus until graduation.
Marian was the ultimate organizer and family caregiver, as they moved from Ohio to Illinois
and Milwaukee, before settling in Green Bay, Wi. With each move it seems there came another
child, giving her a total of five.
After children were raised, she and Bob moved to Chicago and then Fresno, CA before full
retirement in San Diego. Moving seemed to be her life plan, as they moved back to Illinois to help a
daughter, did another return residence to Ohio, before being back in San Diego where her husband
died in 2008. Ultimately, she came to Seattle to be near her son.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bob Jabbusch, her siblings Jim Roberts,
Margaret Hull, and John Roberts, and a granddaughter Sarah Tarpley. She leaves behind one
sister Marilyn Schutte of Rochester NY; five children, Mark Jabbusch (Barbara) of Freeland, WA,
Laura Tarpley (Kent) of Jacksonville, FL, Lynn Vandertie (Rick) of New Zealand, David Jabbusch
(Roberta deceased) of Littlefield, AZ, and Mary Ann Jabbusch of Kaysville, UT. She has seven
remaining grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Fun facts: 1) Marian loved to travel. She followed her husband to work assignments in
Fakenham, England, Schio, Italy, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. She accompanied her daughter on many
business trips including Japan, Canada, and Europe. She made a pilgrimage to Islay Scotland with
her dad to see the site where he survived a WWI shipwreck. 2)She and Bob generously organized a
special trip with each grandchild for their 11th birthday. 3) She was an avid bridge player and golfer
and intense reader and passed those passions on to me. 4) Marian was also a gifted volunteer,
with Girl Scouts, PTA, church functions at each church she attended, and with several hospital
auxiliaries.
Most importantly she leaves behind a legacy of tremendous friendships (including PEO) and
of being an encouraging and supportive mother, of an enduring and loving wife, and of an abiding
and unwavering faith in Jesus.
A small memorial gathering of family will occur on-line; and her ashes will be taken to
Wisconsin to be laid next to her husband in the spring of 2022.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation in her name to PEO, a philanthropic women’s group that promotes education at https://donations.peointernational.org/peo-donation-foundation. Or a charity of your choice