Marta Nélida Arias Malinow, known to all as “Tita,” passed away October 12, 2020. She is survived by her children, Ana Malinow, Roberto Malinow, and Sebastian Malinow; and her grandchildren, Andrei Rajkovic, Max Malinow, Aria Malinow, Ada Rajkovic, Gabriel Rajkovic, and Chet Malinow; as well as many nephews, nieces and their children.

Tita was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Antolín Arias, who immigrated from Spain, and Fela Danesi Arias, a native of Buenos Aires. Her brother, Jorge Arias, whom she loved dearly, preceded her death in 2007.

Tita spent her childhood and young adulthood in Buenos Aires, where she attended the Basque school, Euskal Echea. It was here she began her journey as a true Francophile, which persisted her entire life. She made friends easily, and kept them for a lifetime. Photos show her on the beach with her family on vacation, or laughing with her best friends, or arm-in-arm with her beloved tía Márgara and tío Chicho, walking down a busy Buenos Aires street. In 1953, she met René Malinow, a young doctor and the love of her life, and after a whirlwind engagement of parties, concerts, family and friends, they married. Their children were born in Buenos Aires and in 1963, they immigrated to Portland, Oregon, where Tita remained until her death. Despite her world-wide travels and adventures, and her many trips back to Buenos Aires to visit family and friends, it was Portland that she called home. It was Portland where she raised her children, became a Spanish teacher, and solidified her life-long, loving partnership with René. She was happiest showing visitors the Rose Garden, being a docent at the Portland Art Museum, attending chamber music performances at Reed College and Catlin Gabel School with René, and participating in her book group, as president and member, for over 40 years. She was a “second mother” to her young Argentinian nephews and nieces, many of whom spent months living in her home, attending American schools and learning English. Her door was always open, welcoming not only family, but her children’s friends and friends of friends for years. Her table was always set, ever-ready to add one more plate to welcome a stranger or good friend. In her later years, she still traveled the world with enviable vigor and enthusiasm, from Paris to Patagonia to Palm Springs, she dazzled us all with her wit, her humor and her love of life. She missed her partner of a lifetime, her soul-mate, René, and in the end, passed with a photo of him, smiling into the distance, tucked inside her shirt. They are together again.

We request that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to Store to Door, a volunteer-based grocery shopping and delivery service that supports independent living for Portland area seniors and people with disabilities https://storetodooroforegon.org/donate/ Store to Door allowed Tita to live independently in her beautiful, uptown apartment, surrounded by a lifetime of memories, until her death. A private celebration of her life is planned for close family and friends in December.