Remembering Maria Pertik, R.N., Ph.D.

Family and friends are remembering Maria Pertik and sharing this remembrance with her community:

Maria “Dr Mo” Pertik R.N./Ph.D. had many talents, but she was a dangerous cook. She specialized in kitchen explosions and fires.

She died joyfully on 9/3/2024 with her daughter and husband by her side. Maria stayed true to her belief in herself and ability to accomplish many dreams. She travelled the world, ran two marathons, volunteered at the free clinic and national parks, wrote two books, and cared for her mother with dementia. She worked as a nature guide for children in the Seattle parks and was a medical volunteer in the Amazon Basin.

On an airplane flight, she was the only passenger to jump up to help when a man lost consciousness, and ended up saving his life. She opened her home to strangers who needed help, and recently became a loving grandmother to baby Laila.

She faced death head on, embraced the impermanence of life, and spread her light wherever she went. She made the world a better place.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

10 Replies to "Remembering Maria Pertik, R.N., Ph.D."

  • Anonymous September 4, 2024 (9:40 am)

    Sounds like a truly amazing person. Sorry for your loss.

  • 4thGenWestSide September 4, 2024 (10:39 am)

    A life well lived and one to aspire to. Sounds like a true loss.  

  • Angie September 4, 2024 (10:40 am)

    She sounds amazing! Rest in peace, Dr. Pertik!

  • Allison September 4, 2024 (11:06 am)

    What a wonderful life she led.  Thank you for sharing; she sounds like an incredible person with a family who loved her deeply.  I’ll bet there’s a good story about those kitchen fires!

  • JAH September 4, 2024 (11:56 am)

    I didn’t know her, but she sounds pretty cool. Rest In Peace, Dr. Pertik. : )

  • ACG September 4, 2024 (2:02 pm)

    My condolences to all who knew and loved her. Hold the wonderful memories you have close to your heart. 

  • robert goulet September 4, 2024 (10:08 pm)

    Sounds like a very remarkable person.  Hats off to her for celebration of humanity.Rest in Peace and best to her family during this time.

  • AG September 4, 2024 (10:50 pm)

    She sounds like an absolute delight (and kitchen terror). May her memory be for a blessing.

  • Zora September 5, 2024 (4:02 pm)

    I’m guessing that I’m likely the last living  person left who has shared Maria’s history for the longest longevity.   And what brings out all these memories?  The mention of her lack of kitchen skills.  We are cousins. Not kissing cousins, more like hissing cousins but we were woven deeply into each other’s lives.  You know that friend if you are lucky.   You are very different but connected.  As I’ve been thinking about Maria I am so surprised at how many times we somehow  were there for each other during so many turning points in our lives.  There were years we never talked,   years we camped out at each other’s houses and lately hours we critically assigned that we would spend- one hour.  One hour hanging out…that lasted much longer than one hour-  but we understood each other’s introversion and lately talking about much more serious issues and saying goodbye for now.   We wrote a book together about Alzheimer’s. When I read about Maria’s kitchen explosive experiences I  think that I can attest to witnessing Maria’s possibly first absolute spontaneous and potentially alarming kitchen incursion.   The earliest I remember clearly left a strong impression was when I visited her family in Chicago.  We were both pre-teens.  She was a spoiled, bratty, only child who was used to getting her own way was totally intimidating and I’d stepped into her territory…..  so when she told me we were going to make popcorn  who was I to argue?  We went into the kitchen she pulled out a pot, oil, lots of pop corn seeds and instructed me on what to do.  The oil boiled and the popcorn popped and because there was no top the popcorn popped, and popped and popped.  I suspect that if you look around that Cicero, Chicago apartment there is still the odd popcorn to be found because that stuff when everywhere- like bullets..Our grandmother, Babunia came out into the kitchen.  This incredibly beautiful woman with a white braid down her back.   And laughed.So if you are in the South Side of Chicago that’s where Maria Pertik may have learned you just need to make fireworks-  the rest be damned.  The second last thing we agreed upon was that we loved crows.And the last thing we both agreed on was that we were someday going to share the Northern Lights together.  Stay updated.

  • Chris Harker September 7, 2024 (6:27 am)

      Maria (Dr Mo) walked the walk no matter the terrain. Thank you Mo for lighting a path everywhere.   We had so many laughs during serious talks, shared so much about ourselves fearlessly, and laughed some more. What a wonderful friend to so many. 

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.