Her family moved to Seattle, Washington where Marion attended grade school and her first year of high school at Holy Names High School on Queen Anne Hill before moving to Portland where she graduated from Grant High School in 1936.

It was at Oregon State College that she met her future husband, Dwane. They married on February 20, 1939. Marion and Dwane had five children; Robert Dwane, John William, Michael Clark, Mary Kathryn, and James Patrick. Her family was her life. The Brands home was always open to anyone wishing to enter. She was a typical mother of her day – bussing her children to their various activities, baking cupcakes for birthdays, making a home for her family and being there for her children and husband. In this way she was known to be “quietly elegant”.

Marion had interests in the Riverside Golf and Country Club Women’s Club, Oregon Junior Golf, The Christ Child Society, the Archbishop’s Annual Tea and the parishes where she was a member; St. Mary Magdalene, St. Therese in Parkrose and St. John’s in Milwaukie.