Marcia Rae Brynwood's Obituary
Marcia Rae Brynwood, 88, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on November 10, 2025, from breast cancer.
Marcia was born on October 29, 1937, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the youngest of three. Known as “Tina” as a child, she was outgoing, fun-loving, and very competitive in both sports and school. The guys always wanted her on their team and she was valedictorian of her high school class. Marcia married her high school sweetheart and started college at the University of Wisconsin but soon left to have her first child. She continued her education on the East Coast while working for Kearfott Singer and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Edison College in 1978, some 8 years after her divorce. In 1984, she received a graduate degree in business management from Harvard University.
Marcia worked in Human Resources for her entire career, starting as an Office Clerk and culminating as Corporate Director of Compensation and Benefits for the New York Times from 1978-1987. She moved to Manhattan where she enjoyed all the best that the Big Apple has to offer. And enjoy it, she did! Her boss, Mr. Sulzberger, made it a point to give her his unused tickets to Broadway plays, the Met, and major sports events. While in New York, she began dating Doug, an Aetna executive, who ultimately persuaded her to retire early to become his life partner. The two spent their summers in Niantic, Connecticut, at his beach house and wintered at her Tucson home. They traveled the world in between.
Marcia enjoyed swimming and sailing, especially on her beloved Sunfish. Never a cook, she was good at cleanup and excellent at making reservations.
Marcia loved her family, and they adored her. She is survived by daughter, Laura (Ed) Brynwood; son, Brandon (Caryn) Brynwood; grandsons, Noel Kitchen, Nathaniel (Taylor) Kitchen, and Cody Brynwood; great-granddaughters, Ramsey and Shay Kitchen; nephews Barry, Scott, Kurt, Tom, Mark and niece Gayle. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Don (Jean) and Neil (Nadine) Lehmann, and her partner, Douglas White. She is also survived by Doug’s children, Heather, Derrick, and Leland; and granddaughter Abbigail.
A special thank you is extended to the awesome staff at Sunrise Senior Living in Tucson, her home of six years. And another heartfelt thank you to the care team at Catalina Hospice, who made her last year and a half fight with cancer bearable. Thank you especially to Jude, the hospice volunteer who played cards with her and became her friend, bringing her joy in her final days.
Marcia will be remembered for her love, strength, kindness, generosity, and understanding, as well as her wittiness.
A celebration of her life will be held in Tucson in 2026. Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Association, or a favorite charity in her honor.
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