Marie was always prepared for rehearsals, and expected others around her to be the same. She had a way of setting the example and then calling others out when they did not measure up, but she could do it in a way that you didn’t even realize you were being called out. You’d think she was being nice to you, and then 5 minutes later you realized that you just got dressed down and yelled at. It was amazing to watch.
Through necessity after 2000 she became the “corps mom.” It was unfortunate, but as the corps grew younger someone had to spend extra hours and sacrifice their time, their comfort and even their food to help keep things going. Marie was right at the front of that line. She took on the responsibilities of recruitment and retention when no one else would.
She spent many water breaks on the field helping members who couldn’t even grasp the basic concepts of keeping their feet in time. She had marched drum corps her entire life, but she could talk to the greenest newbie on their level and teach them how to “get it.”
On top of that she is one of the finest players the corps has ever had. She could play lead baritone, but would often ask to play 2nd or 3rd or even euphonium, just so we could balance out the sound. Marie has always been corps first, me second.
Marie was a huge part of our undefeated season in 1993 and was integral in the rebuilding of the corps after the 2000 season. We cannot think of any one person who embodies what is means to be a Bushwacker more than Marie Kaminek.