Marcia Stroud died in mid-June in the company of her beloved cat with the breeze from an open window softly settling on her face.

To know Marcia was to know of her deep love for her animal companions. It was also to know that she was a lover of redwood forests and ocean song. She surrounded herself with beauty of all kinds. Pure crystals, pieces of plum colored amethyst and fairy pink rose quartz, marbled green malachite, and other stones too numerous to mention, lived in treasured places in her home. Marcia looked to space and asked all the timeless questions about the nature of being human and being of the stars. In her collections of books and cards and curated images, the evidence of her enchantment with the beyond could be found in the meteorite that sat on her desk, in her tiny replica of the Star Trek Enterprise, and in the many reproductions of sleek black cats staring out nighttime windows into starry skies radiant with moon glow. Marcia sought to live in harmony with this planet. She was also possessed of a keen brilliance and an insatiable curiosity. She was a dedicated herbalist and practitioner of holistic healing practices. She delighted in simple pleasures, liked to laugh, wasn’t afraid to sit in the dark, and believed in the power of dreams and signs.

Marcia loved gardening, golf, animals and the WNBA. One of the last documents downloaded onto her computer was the schedule for this year’s WNBA draft. She was an avid fan, and was looking forward to the new season.

Marcia Lee Stroud was the first born of Albert and Laura Stroud. She was born in Indianopolis, Indiana in the summer of 1951. She is predeceased by her parents, and is survived by her brothers Bruce Stroud, Scott (Shannon) Stroud, as well as nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, and the many friends she made during her time in Northern California. It would be remiss to not mention her last feline companion, Safta, whom she loved dearly. Safta now resides with friends in Humboldt, where she will be equally loved.

Marcia attended Purdue University in Indiana, graduating with a BA. She also attended UC Santa Barbara and spent the majority of her adult working days in the IT field. Cisco, Sun, and Apple were a few of the companies she worked for. She moved to Northern California in the mid-1980s and spent time in Bonny Doon, Cazadero, Sebastopol, and her last 11 years were spent living in Bayside, in Humboldt County.

Marcia left, surrounded by all her beloveds, in her nest of a bed and she is turned over to that great Mystery in the arms of all of us who loved her and felt blessed to have known her. Marcia’s ashes were scattered in the Redwoods, and along the beaches she loved so dearly, along with the ashes of all of her animal companions, who are now rejoined. A small, informal celebration of life will be held on September 21. Email cowcatfarm@gmail.com for more information.

Donations in her memory can be made to Friends for Life’s Shelter emergency medical fund, Redwood Pals, Sequoia Humane, or any other animal rescue or human rights organization.

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The obituary above was submitted by Marcia Stroud’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.