Marlee Garbett Powell, the second woman to serve as the City of Sonora's mayor, was described by family, friends, and former colleagues as a quiet powerhouse who always took the time to listen and consider all points of view. Marlee died in her sleep at home January 24, 2018 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. She was 85.

Powell was elected to the council in 1996 and won re-election twice before stepping down in 2005 to spend more time with family and pursue other social issues that were near to her heart. Born November 25, 1932, Marlee grew up in Pasadena where her parents, Walter and Wilma Garbett, owned a flower shop and were involved in designing and building floats for the annual Rose Parade. She graduated from South Pasadena High School in 1950 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University. Her husband, Owen Powell (SPHS '48), was a lineman for the college's football team and played in the 1952 Rose Bowl. The couple moved back to South Pasadena after college and had three children.

Marlee was described as a 'supermom' who was involved in the local Parent Teachers Association, Girl Scouts, Little League, and the YMCA swim team. She grew up as an Orange County Republican, became more progressive in her political views as she turned to activism following the untimely death of her husband due to complications from surgery. In the 1980s, Marlee became involved with a movement called Beyond War that sought to bring an end to the nuclear arms race at the time. She met former President Ronald Reagan in 1988 when the group presented him with an award for his efforts in avoiding conflict and ending the Cold War.

Marlee moved to Sonora in the early 1990s because she wanted to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren. After moving to the city, Marlee was prompted to become involved in local government due to the highly visible and controversial grading work being done along the slopes of Bald Mountain for the future Sunrise Hills subdivision. She joined a special committee that helped craft the city's Hillside Preservation Ordinance that was adopted by the Sonora City Council in 1996 to provide more controls on the density of development along hillside areas and other visual impacts. She served for a time on the Sonora Planning Commission before running for a seat on the council in 1996, which she won. In 2002, Marlee was elected mayor by the council. She assisted the city with numerous projects during her two-year term as mayor, including an expansion of the Sonora Opera Hall, completion of the fire Museum at Rother's Corner, and purchasing the property that later became the popular Dragoon Gulch Trail.

Outside of politics, Marlee was also involved with numerous causes and community organizations such as the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency, Motherlode Martin Luther King Jr Committee, Sierra Business Council, and AFS foreign exchange student program.

Marlee is survived by her children, Kate Powell Segerstrom (SPHS '73), Lindsey Fish, and Anthony Owen Powell, four grandsons, and two great-grandsons.

The Union Democrat, January 24, 2018