Marian Lupu: A Legacy of Dignity, Leadership, and Possibility WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Marian did not simply create an organization; she helped create a movement. One that recognized older adults as neighbors, caregivers,
volunteers, workers, and advocates. She believed services should meet people where they are, respond before crises occur, and strengthen the fabric of community rather than replace it. Her Legacy Today
March invites us to look back with gratitude and forward with intention. During Women’s History Month, we celebrate women whose leadership reshaped communities and expanded what was possible for those who came after them. For Marian Lupu, founder of Pima Council on Aging (PCOA), that legacy is not confined to history, it lives on every day in the lives of older adults across Pima County. When Marian Lupu helped establish PCOA, the idea that older adults deserved not just care, but dignity, choice, and a strong voice, was far from universal. Aging was often treated as a problem to be managed, not a stage of life to be supported with respect and opportunity. Marian challenged that narrative head-on. She understood something fundamental: aging services should be rooted in human rights, community connection, and economic security. Older adults are not defined by decline; they are defined by experience, resilience, and contribution. That belief became the foundation on which PCOA was built. A Woman Ahead of Her Time As a woman leading in a space that was both under-resourced and under-recognized, Marian’s leadership mattered in more ways than one. She modeled what women’s leadership could look like: collaborative, values-driven, and deeply grounded in lived experience. She listened first. She built partnerships. And she insisted that systems could do better.
Decades later, Marian Lupu’s vision continues to guide PCOA’s work. The programs may look different. The systems are more complex. The challenges of housing instability, food insecurity, caregiving strain, and social isolation are more urgent than ever. But the core values remain unchanged. Every call answered, every benefit accessed, every ride provided, every meal delivered, and every caregiver supported carries forward Marian’s belief that aging with dignity is not a privilege, it is a right. Her legacy also lives in the women who lead, serve, and shape PCOA today: staff, volunteers, board members, partners, and the thousands of older women across our community whose strength and wisdom continue to inspire change. Never Too Late to Lead Women’s History Month reminds us that progress is built by people who see possibilities where others see limits. Marian Lupu saw possibility in older adults, in community, and in a
future where aging is met with respect rather than fear. At PCOA, we hold that legacy with care and responsibility. We know that honoring Marian’s life means continuing to ask hard questions, to adapt, and to lead with courage and compassion. Because it is never too late to build something better. And it is never too late to honor the women who showed us how. ◆ Generosity of Spirit: Marian pictured in front of the wardrobe for the Dancing in the Streets 2013 production of the Nutcracker. Photo by A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star.
WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more about Marian and her important work bit.ly/MarianLupuLegacy
Page 4 | March & April 2026, Never Too Late
Pima Council on Aging
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