Marian was born in San Francisco, California to Myrl and Laura Ready, on February 10, 1921.

She grew up in Oakland, California and graduated from Oakland High School in 1938. She then attended Mills Collage, University of Pacific and graduated from UC Arts and Crafts in 1943. Later that year, Marian joined the WASP [Women Airforce Service Pilots] program and traveled to Reno learning to fly at Stead Airport and then on to Texas for more training.

In 1945 she met John Smullen and the two were married on June 14, 1946 in Oakland, California.

After the war they lived in Chico, California where John finished his college education and Marian taught elementary school in Thermalito, California. They moved back to Oakland and then on to Walnut Creek, California where they lived from 1951 until 1982. Marian and John moved to Reno, Nevada and have lived here the past 28 years.

Surviving Marian are, her husband of 64 years John Smullen, daughter Cindy Smullen and son John Smullen and granddaughters Jessica and Sadie. Memorial service will be Saturday May 22, 2010 at 2:30 PM at Final Wishes Funeral Home at Mt. View Cemetery at the Masonic Chapel, 437 Stoker Ave. Reno, Nevada. In lieu of flowers you are encouraged to make donation of time or money to SPCA.