Marilee Fletcher

Oct 12, 1948 -

Sep 19, 2025

Longtime Alaskan Marilee Fletcher died unexpectedly at the home where she was raised in Salem, Ore., on Sept. 19, 2025. She had returned to the family home in 2013, after spending more than 40 years loving and living in Alaska.

Marilee first moved to Alaska in 1970, after graduating with a Bachelor in Social Work from Willamette University in Salem. She immediately fell in love with Alaska's outdoors, enjoying road trips and tent camping - there is a little-known story of Marilee skinny dipping in a hidden pool in Turnagain Pass in early May 1970, with patches of snow still on the ground and only the bravest of green shoots peeking out to see her. Marilee never tired of learning and continued her education at UAA. She was very well read, and her facetious sense of humor reflected her philosophical intelligence. She spent several years living in Hilo, Hawaii.

Returning to Anchorage, Marilee had a respected career with the State of Alaska. Her work at the Clitheroe Center, a recovery residence in Anchorage, led to her 31-year marriage to manager Howard Scamen, a well-known political advocate and lobbyist for alcohol and drug treatment programs in Alaska. She also worked at the Southcentral Foundation and others, writing grants for various community social support functions throughout the state. Marilee and Howard moved to Juneau, Alaska, to be closer to the legislature, as they continued to influence treatment policy at a state level. Marilee was a strong advocate for the less fortunate.

Despite their commitment to public service, Marilee and Howard were able to cross off most of their travel bucket lists with trips to Hawaii, India, Asia, Egypt, Laos, and Thailand.

Howard passed away in 2011, after a long coexistence with cancer - but not before crossing zipline and sitting with tigers off his list.

Coincidentally, a year after Howard died, Marilee was contacted by a good friend she'd met in Alaska shortly after moving here. Jerry Blankinship, master woodworker, offered to come to Juneau to prepare Marilee's home for sale prior to her move to Salem. A year later, he completed that project and offered to upgrade her inherited home in Salem. Marilee retired in 2013, and they moved to Salem. Jerry and Marilee stayed together, remodeling their house, camping, road-tripping, visiting the Oregon coast, landscaping their yard, feeding the birds and squirrels, and tending their flower garden and greenhouse. They were together for more than 13 years, and Jerry deeply mourns the passing of his dear partner.