Mary Charla (Yedinak) Marik, a longtime contributor and former managing editor of the Washington Island Observer, died Monday, Dec. 27, at her home in Chicago. She was 76.
Born in 1945, she grew up in Berwyn, Ill., and graduated in 1963 from the city’s Morton West High School. She went on to attend Western Illinois University and earned her master’s degree from the University of Illinois.
Mary and Warren Marik married on June 14, 1969, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Oak Park, Ill.
- RELATED: Mary Marik’s impact on Island and beyond was profound
- RELATED: Former State Journal reporter Paul Rix dies at 74
- RELATED: Former Herald Independent editor Pat Kwallek dies at 88
The Mariks moved to Washington Island in 2008, and were involved for many years with the Observer. Following the 2012 sale of the newspaper to a group of 15 families, Mary was named managing editor and Warren served on the newspaper’s board of directors.
Mary held the managing editor role for one year before stepping down in February 2013. She stayed involved with the Observer as a contributor and served on the newspaper’s board. Marik also contributed stories and columns as the Washington Island correspondent for the (Sturgeon Bay) Door County Advocate.
In their announcement of Marik’s death, the Observer described her as “instrumental in developing the Observer into the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and state-recognized official paper it is today. The newspaper said it plans to publish further tributes to Marik.
