"I'd been thinking about Marie lately and decided to check and make sure all was well. Sadly, I found her obituary. Marie was an exceptional person in so many ways. Kind, outspoken, fiercely intelligent, knowledgeable about a vast number of subjects and someone who loved to laugh and make others laugh...she was a gem. I always felt so fortunate to spend time in her company. Marie was a dear friend of my mom's, whose name is Ann Stanke and who worked as general manager of Madison Opera for many, many years. She and Marie shared a love of music, a love of sports and a sense of humor that could be a bit wicked at times but was always wickedly funny and never malicious. Marie and my mom were true pals and great broads in the very best sense of the word. Both classy as could be and refreshingly down to earth at the same time, Marie and mom were two women who worked in industries largely dominated by men. Surely they must have noticed. I just don't think either particularly cared. Rather than concentrating on such things, each woman simply applied her own considerable talents to the tasks at hand at the job she loved. They both did things differently than anyone before them or, arguably, anyone who followed after them. Doors definitely opened that hadn't been open previously for women but I know my mom took such things in stride and my guess is that Marie did, too, even if they both had to occasionally knock on one door or another more times than they would have preferred. But this - knocking on a stubborn door until it, too, was opened - was like everything else they did; it was just another part of the job. I can guarantee you neither felt she was a "woman who worked in" newspapers or opera. Rather, Marie Pulvermacher and Ann Stanke were simply professionals who made the decision to dedicate much of their lives to an industry they cared deeply about. They were powerhouses; forces to be reckoned with who each had very high standards but who never asked anyone to do anything she wouldn't do herself. I promise you neither Marie or my mom EVER let the words "that's beneath me" enter their minds, If it had to do with their job and it needed to be done, NOTHING was ever beneath either one of them. And when both retired, finally walking out the doors of the newspaper and the opera office for the last time, they probably each shut the door firmly behind them. But how I wish each of them could have seen -REALLY seen - the impact they made during their careers. I wish they could have stood together and looked down a ridiculously long -an impossibly long - hallway marked by one open door after another, doors that had all previously been closed but now stood open and would never be closed again because Marie Pulvermacher and Ann Stanke had jobs to do and doing those jobs right meant walking through each one of those doors to get to whatever was on the other side, not once, but forever. My husband and I threw one terrific Rose Bowl party a number of years ago made so because Marie and mom were there, alternately cheering the Badgers on or letting them have it from the sidelines. I'm not sure which action was more entertaining. Marie was also a devoted and loyal friend and almost every year, she volunteered her time to help out at mom's infamous annual garage sale, held in part to benefit Madison Opera. By then, I worked in publishing myself and had launched many niche publications including Brava, a monthly glossy for women, but my presence was always required by mom on Garage Sale weekend. Marie reported for duty at the same time as I did over the years and though I was intimidated by her at first because ahe was so darn brilliant and accomplished, I finally gathered the courage to "talk shop" and ask her opinion about this or that. She was always helpful; consistently wise and when she gave me a compliment a number of times about the work I was doing? My heart soared. Over the years, I began to think of Marie as my friend, too. I adored her. We ran into each other when I was at mom's, mom and I helped her move out of her apartment into a retirement home and she always remembered to send Christmas cards. Knowing of my mom's disdain for broccoli and my shared disgust for the vegetable, she also occasionally sent me a piece of mail extolling the benefits of the vegetable. I'm certain she was lying. My mom lost her battle with ALS in May of 2011 and dear Marie died at 93 in January. I like to think they're hanging out together, still disagreeing about a certain vegetable but agreeing on most everything else. Marie Pulvermacher was a top-notch newspaper editor and an even better person. To surpass her own talent in newspapers by her own character and integrity is nearly impossible and it is only because of the extraordinary person she was that she was able to do it. I am blessed to have known her."
In loving memory of
Marie B. Pulvermacher
April 24, 1919 - January 12, 2013
MADISON - Marie Pulvermacher, a pioneer among Madison women journalists, died Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Capitol Lakes Retirement Center where she had been living the past several years. She was 93.
A member of The Capital Times' staff for 42 years, Ms. Pulvermacher began her newspaper career in 1939 as a part-time librarian while a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin and by the time she retired in 1981, was the newspaper's associate editor.
In the years between, she broke many of the traditional all-male barriers that were typically entrenched in American newsrooms. She became the first woman president of the Madison Press Club, was active in the national professional women journalist's organization, Theta Sigma Chi, and was instrumental in forming the Madison chapter of Women in Communications.
Ms. Pulvermacher graduated from the UW in 1942 with a major in American Institutions. While at the university she was elected president of the Young Progressives, whose membership included names like Gaylord Nelson, who became a governor and U.S. senator; Miles McMillin, who became editor and publisher of The Capital Times; Roland Day, who served as a justice on the State Supreme Court and Carl Thompson, who went to a long career in the State Senate and was a one-time candidate for governor.
Upon graduation, her goal was to join the U.S. State Department, but William T. Evjue, the founder and then editor and publisher of The Capital Times, convinced her to stay with the paper as a full-fledged reporter. World War II had left the paper short of reporters and Ms. Pulvermacher found herself covering everything from "society" news to murders and fires. The typical work week was 60 hours, the pay $20.
Following the war, she was promoted to the copy desk and a few years later was named the editor of the new "Green" sheet, a daily four-page feature section that was printed on green-colored newsprint. Under her direction, the Green became one of the best read sections of the newspaper. She assigned daily features and helped forge a number of creative columns on everything from Madison history to a "question of the day" that featured readers' opinions on timely issues.
In 1974, the newspaper became one of the first in the country to remake its traditional "Society" pages, which in newspapers of the day served to ghettoize "women's news" in a section of their own. Most of the stories were about upper class events with lengthy descriptions of wedding dresses and engagement parties.
In its place, the paper started an expanded section called "PM," which combined the Green sheet's features, the best of human interest stories for both men and women, arts and entertainment, movie, theater and book reviews. Ms. Pulvermacher was the logical choice to lead the new section and it soon became one of the paper's most popular sections. In 1978, she was named associate editor of The Capital Times, in addition to her duties as PM editor.
She retired from the paper at the end of 1981, but her active life was to continue for years. Her love of traveling was inspired by an extended cruise she took to Europe that was highlighted by a personal travelogue of her adventures for the newspaper. The datelines included Paris, London, Frankfurt and Rome. She continued her travels in retirement. Her retirement, though, gave her more time for her love of the arts and theater. She was a staunch supporter of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Madison Opera, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
But, she was also a big sports fan with a particular passion for the University of Wisconsin Badgers. In her younger days, she could be found at UW boxing matches in the Fieldhouse, where she had third row seats thanks to the paper's sports department.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Theresa Pulvermacher of Sauk City, a brother and two sisters. Surviving are several cousins and countless friends.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, at ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH, 404 East Main St., Madison, with Msgr. Kevin D. Holmes presiding. Marie will be laid to rest next to her parents at St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery, Sauk City following the lunch. A visitation will be held at 9 a.m. and until time of services Saturday at ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Tributes
"Marie was a true trailblazer, a wonderful editor and one of the kindest people I ever have known. She had a generous heart and cared about all of the people with whom she worked. She loved the Badgers and the Packers. She also was a huge supporter of the symphony, opera and theater. My life was blessed working for her."