Marlene Cummings Arnold, 91, of Portola Valley, passed away on September 16, 2023.

Marlene was born in Brainerd, MN to Francis and Oveline Cummings on August 15, 1932.She attended St. Francis School in Brainerd and Brainerd High School. She received her BS in Nursing at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN in 1954 and worked as a nurse in Brainerd, Denver and the Palo Alto Medical Clinic. She obtained a Masters Degree in Nursing from UCSF in 1968 and taught nursing and was an academic counselor at the College of San Mateo for 29 years.

She met husband John on a backpacking trip in the Sierras and they were married August 3, 1974. She lived in Menlo Park until moving to The Sequoias in Portola Valley in 2019.

A member of the Thomas Merton Center of Palo Alto and active in its ministry. Marlene volunteered as a Cuddler at Packard Children's Hospital and assisted as the school nurse at St. Elizabeth Seton School. She enjoyed gardening, flowers and making floral arrangements. She continued back packing in summers and, after retirement, traveled to various countries.

Survived by her husband John, niece Andrea (Richard), nephew Steve (Bill),  and niece Carmen (Bobby).

Burial will be held at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery.

Please donate to Concern America , Doctors Without Borders , or charity of your choice.