MARYSVILLE — The Marysville Strawberry Festival Fashion Show and its Royalty returned to the Opera House June 17, along with royalty from years’ past.
One of the returning royalties was volunteer Lynne Kramer, who was queen of the festival in 1957.
“This year we are not only celebrating 84 years of the festival,” event organizer Maria Walser said. “But we are also celebrating the future of our young people.”
After lunch and strawberry shortcake, it was on to the fashion show, where community members and the royalty showed off beach-themed outfits provided by the local Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart.
Members of the Junior and Senior Royalty also voiced their appreciation. Marina Cifferi praised Marysville Getchell math teacher Bruce Brown for helping her throughout high school and Running Start at Everett Community College.
For Kramer, the Strawberry Festival means giving back.
“I’m just really blessed to give back to a community that has been so generous to me,” she said.
In 1957, Kramer was not only awarded a scholarship, but also traveled the world, which was an “awesome” experience for her.
Reflecting on the past, she appreciated how hard her parents worked when she was young.
“I would love to have them see what I have accomplished,” she said.
She was divorced at age 40 with kids and was tending bar for tips. She went back to school to become a nurse. She then found work with Group Health.
About five years ago, Maryfest board member Carol Kapua asked if Kramer would like to be a volunteer. She accepted, left Group Health and has volunteered ever since.
A native of Marysville, she remembered the community closeness growing up and the trust people had back then.
That closeness resurfaced after the Marysville-Pilchuck shooting, she said.
“It taught me lot about people in general,” she said.
Even though she admits crime has gone up in the community, that closeness hasn’t changed she said.
Kramer is confident that the community closeness will continue in future generations as she sees “faith in trust” in the current Maryfest Royalty.
