GENELLE BIRK A star was born in Hollywood, California on Jan. 24, 1947, and she was named Genelle Birk. On April 24, 2000 at 4 AM, in a blaze of radiant light, she returned to the heavens. She was lovingly raised by her parents, Emmet and Stella Birk, in Whittier, California. In her growing-up years, Genelle relished the beaches and sunshine of southern California with her cherished sisters, Kristina (Perry) and Lisa (Ajir). A relentless seeker of knowledge and advocate of education for women, Genelle received her Masters in Public Administration at the University of California at Riverside in 1978. She moved to Washington with her three children, Andy, Tore and Andrea, to work for the City of Tacoma in 1981. She was a 60's-style matriarch, who glued the family together and always provided a safe haven for her children and their friends, for her beloved grandchildren, Jason, Adrian, Dakhota and Aurora, and for her own circles of many friends. Her door was always open to any person or stray animal who needed a meal or a place to stay. Genelle believed that the true wealth of this country and of Tacoma is in the richness of its people, and the great possibility of people of all races, cultures and philosophies respecting each other and working together for the common good. She was proud to be part of the City of Tacoma's leadership team and of their commitment to cultural diversity. As she put these ideas into action, first as the City Clerk and Director of General Services and then as the Assistant City Manager, her motives were uncommonly pure of heart. Her greatstrength was that she cared about people first and foremost, and never about power or other forms of self interest. She was an example of the kind of open, enlightened leadership that will hopefully be kept alive by all who remain. Genelle's understanding of the nurturing interconnection of all life reached right to the core of our ecological systems, manifesting in her great love of nature and her advocacy for the integrity and health of our planet. She especially delighted in flower gardens and trees, and plans are currently under way to plant a pink Dogwood tree at Point Defiance park in her memory. Genelle danced with life and loved the creative expressions of our human experiences here on Earth, in literature, poetry, music, theater and art. Her unstoppable spirit of adventure led her to find much wisdom planted in ancient cultural traditions as well as the new cutting edge thinkers and artists of our day. We will miss her unique sense of humor and no- nonsense compassion. She was a rare combination of strength and gracious beauty, of casual nature girl and elegant career woman, the consummate professional who never compromised her inner warmth and underlying humanity. We will also remember Genelle as a woman of tremendous courage and generosity. Even through her long and trying illness, her thoughts were of others before herself. Always the first to say "thank you", her gratitude for the goodness in people is legendary. Think of the simple things she did for you, anddo that for others. Her entire family was with her when she passed, and they want people to know that she stayed aware, witty and wise to the end. Genelle's ashes will be scattered atop Crane Hill on her sister Kris and brother-in-law George Perry's property in Idaho. Once a lookout site on the Nez Perce National Forest, it is abundant with field daisies and free roaming deer and elk. This was always a magical place for Genelle, and it pleased her to know she would be nourishing the wildflowers there, continuing to play a part in this great web of life. She was well known as a great connector of people, orchestrator of events and agent for change, but Genelle also had the soul of a poet. To celebrate the Equinox one year, she wrote this foreshadowing poem: The sun slowly returns from her sojourn in the south Dark trembles and hesitates at her approach We, who know nothing, sit at the edge And wait for a new beginning Genelle and her family were deeply touched by the caring help of the hospice staff. Persons wishing to make memorial gifts in appreciation for their tremendous work may send a check to: Franciscan Hospice and Foundation for Health Care, P.O. Box 1502, Tacoma, WA 98401-9836. To honor her expressed wishes, there will be a catered "party" at 1:00 on Saturday, April 29 in the Great Room at Annie Wright School, 827 Tacoma Ave. N. Please join family and friends for this gathering of kindred spirits. Pub Date: 4/28/2000 Tacoma News Tribune