Anne Mardick, founder of Americans United’s Greater Phoenix chapter, passed away on Feb. 15.
“Anne was truly a pillar of the secular community here in Arizona,” Zenaido Quintana, acting president of AU’s Greater Phoenix chapter, and his wife, Jennifer, wrote on the chapter’s Facebook page.
“She leaves a big hole in our community and in our lives. I know many, many people are feeling this loss as much as we are. Our hearts are broken,” the Quintanas wrote. “Anne was also a kind-hearted, generous woman. Just ask any of the individuals whom she helped when they needed it, including caring for them when they were sick. She always opened her house to any and all.”
The AU chapter worked with the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix (HSGP) to sponsor a memorial service in Mardick’s honor on March 24.
“Let me be clear: Anne Mardick bootstrapped the grassroots secular political movement here in Phoenix,” wrote Chris Wojno, president of HSGP. “Ever the Pythian, Anne had the foresight to recognize and foster the next generation of voices in the local, national, and international secular movement. Anne had started building the foundations of our local and national conversation about what it is to be secular and irreligious.”
In addition to AU and HSGP, Mardick was involved in the Secular Coalition of Arizona, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the American Humanist Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Science Education.
She was a Humanist celebrant and served as the Humanist representative on the Arizona Interfaith Movement’s board of directors.
