Marian Tatum

Marian Elise Tatum (you probably knew her as “Mimi”) unexpectedly left her terrestrial vessel on Saturday October 5, 2019. Her spirit is carried on by her three children & her precious “outlaws”, three granddaughters, two great-granddaughters, one sister, extended family, friends from every walk of life and her furdaughter Nikita.

Marian was a late in life baby, her parents already had two daughters almost out of high school when she was born.  Mom would say she had “three mothers” growing up.   “Mimi”, wasn’t just a nickname, it is the only name she went by, her mother was on the board of directors for Cincinnati Opera, Mimi is the heroine from “La Boheme” an opera by Puccini, and that is why she is called Mimi.  Born in Missouri, the family moved to Cincinnati for her father’s work, she grew up and graduated from Deer Park.   Mimi, spent the majority of her youth inside a ballet studio and had aspirations of becoming a prima ballerina.  That was until she met and married the love of her life Billy Tatum Sr.  She met Bill at Pine Hill Park Swimming Pool in Mason.  (Man she looked great in a bikini!)  Thus began the next chapter of her life.

She excelled in her role as a Mother of three (four if you count Dad) and did it with grace and dignity.  As if this was not enough, she was on the Mason Volunteer Fire Department as a squad member.  To better herself and her family, she started selling Tupperware and she rose quickly to being a “Super Tupper-Woman” or someone who sold a lot of Tupperware!  That not being enough, she started working at GE at the bottom of the ladder as a typist, eventually putting herself through college, and ultimately retired from GE as a Quality Training Engineer.  As a Quality Trainer she traveled the world training suppliers, and even coined a set Auditing Guidelines called “Tatum’s Laws”.   You could say she wrote the GE manual on Quality Audits, because actually she did, and then updated it after her retirement.

After retirement, Mimi devoted all her time to the Mason Food Pantry, until her chronic back issues no longer permitted her to continue.  These were her “freegan” and “culinary exploration years”, and we will leave it at that! (Use your imagination you won’t be far off…...) Mimi loved to feed people, and feed people and well feed people and was an excellent cook.

Everyone thinks Mimi is a dog lover, and ultimately she is!  The funny part of that is she never once  picked a dog out herself. In the 9-10 dogs that have been a part of her life, not a one of them was picked by her.   Dad would bring home dogs, or she would adopt dogs who were brought to her by family members that couldn’t keep them for one reason or other.  Every time she would take a well behaved specimen of a canine, love and spoil them to obesity until they ultimately had identity confusion where they would identify as human.   Sidenote: she organized pet food pickups for the Food Pantry, Pets have to eat too!

Mimi was a founding member of the Upper/Lower Lela Society of Neighbors.  The Lela Society is a close knit group of neighbors who have a bond that is not experienced by few, and coveted by all.  If we all had neighbors like Mimi’s this would be a far better world.

She enjoyed gardening, and cultivating all varieties of flora, and inadvertently the wildlife that would thrive in such a beautiful garden, including small ponds. This is significant because she loathed snakes, so if you see a family member ask about the mothballs.   She was the type of gardener that would dig up those plants that couldn’t handle the Ohio winter, store and then replant them in the spring, that is dedication!

If there was one thing you should remember from this eulogy is that Mimi, was a giver.  By that I mean, if you needed a hot meal, an adoptive mother, a friend to talk to, someone to drink boxed wine or Busch Lite with, a place to stay or just a stern ass kicking/tongue lashing, she would be there,  ALL IN no questions asked giving of herself, selflessly!

There are too many memories and stories to mention in this brief summary of this extraordinary woman.  We love you MOM and will treasure every Precious minute we had with you!

Later’s , Mom, Mudder, Mamaw, Mimmer, Beloved, Meem

There will be a small Celebration of Life on Saturday October 12th from 2-5 @ 204 Lela Dr.

Donations in her honor can be made to the Mason Food Pantry 406 Fourth Ave Mason OH, 45040.

Mimi is reunited with her husband, and predeceased by her parents and 1 sister.