CHICO — A small business owner, community volunteer and dedicated philanthropist all characterize Chicoan Marilyn Warrens, who died last week.
Warrens, 95, died Jan. 10 in her home after two strokes. She is remembered by family, friends and acquaintances for her humor, kindness and generosity.
Warrens donated her time and money to many causes over her years including Chico State, the Bidwell Mansion and the Butte Glenn Medical Society. She provided the donation to found the Creekside Rose Garden off Vallombrosa Avenue.
Born in Texas, she graduated from the University of Texas in Austin.* She worked roughly 10 years for American Airlines, doing an assortment of jobs from airplane ground crew to selling tickets. Her family recalls she was too tall to be a stewardess, which was an aggravation for her. Warrens, then Wade, met her husband to be at a USO dance where he was playing the piano and she was singing. The couple married in Texas and lived in Marin County before moving to Chico in 1961. His parents lived in Durham.
Dedicated to Chico, her license plate read “Chico 61.” She graduated from California State University Chico with a degree in fine arts. She raised two sons here, Wade now of San Francisco with wife Joanna, and Grant of Lake Oswego, Oregon, with wife Reiko. There are three grandchildren.
Her husband Ed had a physician’s practice in Chico, and died in 1995. She died exactly 25 years to the day of her husband’s death.
Warrens owned several businesses during her time in Chico, including Warrens Public Relations Associates, and an import dress shop called La Bella Rosa, which was located in a Park Avenue retail warehouse that she named and managed called The City of Roses. She was also active in the Butte-Glenn Medical Society auxiliary, raising money through the Decorator’s Dream House for health-related programs like Handi-Riders, the Peg Taylor Center, as well as local libraries.
Among her last projects was working roughly a dozen years to establish a public rose garden, which she successfully did at the Chico Community Center on Vallombrosa Avenue, helped by the Chico Area Recreation and Park District.
CARD General Manager Ann Willmann remembers the close connection she had with Warrens.
“I was sad to learn of Marilyn’s passing over the weekend. Marilyn was the champion of the Creekside Rose Garden. Her passion to bring a public rose garden to Chico was evident as we worked together to bring it to reality. Today, Chico has a beautiful public rose garden with over 150 different roses all because of Marilyn Warrens. I will miss our visits in the garden, our wonderful conversations and her kindness.”
The garden, which opened in 2016, has a teak bench dedicated to Warrens, along with a poem written by a member of the Butte Rose Society, of which she was a member.
Warrens told this publication that Chico used to be known as “the city of roses” during Annie Bidwell’s time and that the rose had always been one of Warrens’ favorites. Daughter-in-law Joanna Warrens called her “tenancious” in getting the rose garden established.
Marilyn Warrens noted that an antique city seal displaying a picture of John Bidwell contained the phrase “city of roses” in reference to Chico, giving her more motivation for the rose garden.
She was an early member of Las Senoras, the official welcoming committee for Chico, and was chosen as a grand marshal for the Rancho Chico Days parade in 1995. She raised money for the Bidwell Mansion, which was in jeopardy of closing, by selling puzzles picturing the mansion.
She also donated thousands of dollars to Chico State, which she attended, including contributions to the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, and the founding of the Warrens Reception Center on campus, which at one time was the president’s house.
Chico State President Gayle Hutchinson wrote to the Enterprise-Record on Tuesday:
“Marilyn Warrens was a visionary whose generous heart touched all of us in the community whether we realized it or not. I loved talking with Marilyn. She greeted everyone with the warmest of smiles and a twinkle in her eye. Her stories of adventure, kindness and humility always captured our attention. A successful businesswoman in her own right, Marilyn never lost sight of the importance of community engagement. Her contributions to Chico State have been transformative and her memory everlasting. I miss her deeply, but am honored to have known her.”
According to a 1976 Enterprise-Record news article, Warrens was the first person to be presented with an honorary membership to the Chico Chamber of Commerce for organizing and fundraising for a bicentennial fireworks spectacular at the Chico airport, and was instrumental in establishing the chamber’s Golden Rose Award, which put the spotlight on good architecture and remodeling projects in local businesses. She received the chamber’s top award, named for its late manager J. “Pat” Lappin.
A private family funeral has been set, but a celebration of life is planned at a future date.
*Earlier information about her college education was incorrect.
