Marcia Brandt
March 18, 1939-March 26, 2026
Pleasanton, California

Marcia Jane Brandt, 87, of Pleasanton, California, passed away on March 26, 2026. Born on March 18, 1939, in Creighton, Pennsylvania, she lived a full, spirited life marked by adventure, faith, sharp wit, and an unapologetic love for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

She grew up in Creighton, PA, graduated from Seton Hill College, and later earned a Master’s degree at the University of Hawaii. Marcia was a woman who refused to be grounded—literally. She became a private pilot and worked as an air traffic controller for four years, guiding planes through the skies with the same calm precision she brought to everything she did.

For decades she shaped young minds as a beloved teacher at St. Isidore School in Danville and St. Michael’s School in Livermore. A resident of Pleasanton since 1978, she poured her heart into her Catholic faith. She attended St. Augustus Catholic Church faithfully and never missed praying before a meal, no matter how small the gathering.

Marcia had a deep passion for photography and art, capturing the world through her lens and on canvas. She was also a die-hard sports fan: lifelong Steelers supporter (her faith may have helped there) and a dedicated Giants follower who especially loved watching the younger Carl Yastrzemski play.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Rick, and their daughters Kathy and Becca. The family was her world, and she was the unflinching center of it.

True to form, Marcia lied her entire adult life about her height, insisting she was a full 5 feet tall when she was, in fact, 4’10”. Nobody ever called her out on it—at least not to her face. That little white lie was just one more piece of the feisty, unforgettable woman she was.

She lived on her own terms, with joy, grit, and zero tolerance for nonsense. The world is a little shorter without her.

Tags: arts/media, teacher/educator