Marcia Storkerson, Wearer of Many Hats
From QuickNooz
WGBH notes with sadness the passing of former and longtime (1975-2005) colleague Marcia Storkerson, who died peacefully Thurs, 8/6 at her home in Sweden, Maine.
Marcia began her WGBH journey as a volunteer with the Auction and went on to dedicate three decades to the Foundation in various roles, including Budget Director, eventually becoming Associate Program Manager for National Productions (now National Programming).
“Marcia was centrally involved in so many ways as WGBH grew as an organization and developed national series,” says WGBH President Jon Abbott. “She was smart and witty; a memorable colleague who strongly believed in and supported our mission.”
A memorial celebration will be planned at a later date. Donations in her memory can be made to the Sweden Historical Society, 147 Bridgton Road, Sweden ME 04040, or to the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, PO Box 105, Lovell ME 04051
I am saddened to hear of Marcia’s death. As a newcomer to WGBH in 1980, I learned a lot from her and in my role as the CFO, I depended greatly on her knowledge of seemingly everything at WGBH.
I continue to work with spreadsheets and frequently think of the various rules she employed in designing financial reports, making sure that appeared clean and clear.
Those of you who can remember back to the days when NOOZ was typewritten on newsprint, it reflects yet another of Marcia Storkerson’s skills to add to other tributes: typesetter.
When I got to GBH In the Fall of 1973 I found Marcia helping to run the 5 person Design Department. She could bang out a hundred words a minute on her trusty IBM Selectric, and typewriter type quickly became a hallmark of the station’s visual personality. Much cheaper than commercial typesetting, it was also an appropriate ingredient, through the ’70s, of GBH’s quirky, underdog Visual persona in the Boston media landscape. (Think about David Ives hamming it up in Morash-produced fundraisers.)
Rain or shine, Marcia would arrive at Western Ave in a side-car Attached to husband Peter’ motorcycle, brush herself off and proceed to produce (and proofread) on her golfball typewriter almost everything we published, including, if you can believe it, a Chatty, full page ad on the back page the Globe each week.
One of a kind.
Marcia was a very special woman, brilliant yet no-nonsense and unassuming, she kept things running smoothly and had the ear of many at WGBH.
I got to know her through our mutual love of story and reading. She loved travel books and I loved all kinds of books, as well as loving to travel, so I often read memoirs and histories of expeditions to distant lands. We would talk about our latest reads and trade recommendations. Because I also loved literature I would often stray in our conversations from travel to poetry, essays, Latin American magical realist novels or whatever my latest delight.
She was always curious, always had her own incredible stories to offer, and we had fascinating discussions.
One day Marcia informed there was a new Executive Producer for culture and the arts that Peter was bringing in and the E.P. would need a head researcher as she developed new limited series in the Producer’s Hub.
Marcia felt we would get along. I was very, very young, just a couple of years out of college, but that’s how I ended up moving, after a stint producing at La Plaza (then a verité documentary series) in local productions, to head up research in Arts and Culture programming for national PBS shows for Jill Jannows. It’s because Marcia bothered to get to know me that she knew Jill and I would make a great fit.
I owe Marcia for her generosity in helping me grow at WGBH in an important step that would begin a career writing, producing and directing documentaries.
I remember you well and fondly, Marcia. Descansa en paz.
Maria,
What a lovely tribute. Thank you for sharing this story.
I remember Marcia very fondly and I am sorry to hear of her passing. I didn’t have the pleasure of working very closely with her but enjoyed every interaction we had very much, even if was just while passing each other in the hallway. Rest In Peace
Ohh, so sorry to learn of Marcia’s passing. I remember her friendly, non-judgmental presence and the generous offers of help and advice. We were never close, but always fun and respectful. This news about Marcia is another reminder of those really creative wonderful “early” days at GBH.
God bless you Marcia. Your magic with budgets somehow made my drama budgets with the Jean Shepherd drama’s doable. Your strength to talk truth to power was amazing. Thank you and may you rest in peace. Fred Barzyk
Marcia was a fellow “Strip” resident in the mid to late 1990’s. As Angela said, she was quirky, creative and fun to talk to. She kept the trains running in Peter McGhee’s national production shop that had a lot going on. I uniformly enjoyed my interactions with her — always upbeat even when most wouldn’t have been. I’m sorry to hear of her passing but her memory will indeed be a blessing to me and others.
As another former employee who started as an auction volunteer in the 70’s I have fond, if distant, memories of Marcia, and am saddened to learn of her passing.
Marcia Marcia Marcia. The hair. The signature scent. She was a tremendous support to me during my early years at WGBH. I hope you had a great time in Maine because I’m having a great time in Maine. ❤️
So sorry to hear this news. I remember her as being quirky, creative, and fun to talk with about a variety of topics. Rest in peace.