Our journey began in the Summer of 2023 when Marla was presenting several health concerns, which led to a slew of medical appointments. It was after the abnormal results from her brain MRI that we learned about CJD during a short hospital stay in October 2023. In November 2023, we received the devastating result that forever changed us all: these results are highly suggestive of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
It was not long after that we began to notice the changes, which at first seemed insignificant, followed by long plateaus. The Summer of 2024, the declines not only ramped up in intensity, but also had shorter plateaus. Without truly knowing when symptom onset occured, Marla courageously fought CJD for at least 15 months, and succumbed to the disease November 19, 2024.
Obituary
Marla Jean Magoon, affectionately known as Raven, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2024, in Park Ridge, Illinois. Born on June 12, 1964, in Belvidere, Illinois, she was the cherished daughter of the late Harry and Ellen (Bruhn) Powell.
A 1982 graduate of Belvidere High School, Marla was a devoted homemaker, raising two beloved daughters with her late husband, Edward Magoon, in Johnsburg, Illinois, from 1989 to 2010. Her life was enriched by her passion for arts and crafts, sewing, quilting, and gardening. Marla and Edward shared a love for motorcycles and embraced the biker lifestyle.
In her later years, Marla resided with her youngest daughter in Wonder Lake, Illinois, and worked at Meijer in McHenry, Illinois, where she was a respected employee and formed lasting friendships. Following a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in 2023, she moved to the Chicago Western Suburbs to be closer to her eldest daughter, who lovingly managed her care.
Marla is survived by her daughters, Ashley (Jonathan) Gray and Casey (Christopher) Spangler; her brother, Martin (Laura) Powell; half-sister, Kimberly Hill; step-sisters, Michelle Hughes-Deshane and Melanie (Richard) Earlywine; and grandchildren, Summer and Sean Spangler. She also leaves behind numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and a great-niece and nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Margo Powell, nephew Jarrett Powell, and her beloved husband, Edward.
In lieu of a memorial service, the family requests donations to the CJD Foundation in Marla's memory, supporting research on this devastating disease.