Vivia Marie Boe

Our dear friend, partner, activist, Vivia Marie Boe passed away peacefully on May 12, 2023, age 69. Born in Salt Lake City, she grew up in Bothell, graduating from the University of Washington Cum Laude. She was raised by Merle and Emily Boe, who backed up her every decision with loving support, growing in her a rare confidence to undertake any challenge with the certainty she could prevail. She met her love, Jeff Stern, on a whale watch, talking and laughing all the way back to Seattle. They married in 1989, living in Seattle for 40 gloriously fun years.

Her passion for animals started at an early age and led to her first career. A film on whaling and activists attempts at blocking led her to find a way to help. She volunteered for the Involvement Day Project, becoming assistant to the director - Jacques Cousteau. Folks from Greenpeace contacted her to see if she wanted to work with them. Being fluent in 4 languages and conversant in 3 more led to involvement in many local and international campaigns. She became an International Ocean Ecology Campaign Director, working mainly on the seal campaign and ended commercial seal hunting in North America. During that time, she produced 2 films on seal hunting, one of which aired nationally on PBS.

After she "worked her way out of a job", she decided to pursue a new career in media having learned its power. Once again, she volunteered, this time at KCTS and shortly after was working for Current Affairs and MacNeil/Lahrer NewsHour. She went on to become an independent filmmaker producing numerous documentaries which aired nationally on PBS on such important issues as the loss of biodiversity in our food supply, time pressure on our lives, commercialization of our schools and children, and our addiction to unsustainable consumerism. She won numerous awards including a Peabody, ARBY, Wilber, Golden Eagle, and Distinguished Service to Journalism.

She was at home with politicians, scientists, the unfortunate or famous, adversaries or strangers. She could make the most complex issues simple for people to understand. Vivia was a force of nature in everything she did but battling MS and cancer successfully for years finally caught up with her. When she felt she couldn't pull her weight like she expected to, she walked away from her film making career with several projects still in process to the dismay of her colleagues. Yet, few have accomplished so much in so short a time. After fighting health issues for years, her lungs couldn't rid enough CO2 and she just went to sleep.

Vivia loved animals, travel, reading, her garden, music, history, good wine, good company, and a good cause. Such a brilliant, caring, funny, sweet person will be sorely missed and the world less for it. She left broken hearts and close friends strewn across continents.

She was preceded in death by her farther, Merle 2007. She is survived by her Mother Emily, siblings Barbara and spouse Jon Gordon, Jay and spouse Charlene Boe, and husband Jeff Stern. She will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all including her cousins and their families, and by her loving friends, especially for her kindness, wit, and style.

A celebration of Vivia will be held at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Discovery Park in Seattle on Aug 12th at 4:30 pm. Bring a favorite photo and a good story to share. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Northwest Animal Rights Network and the Humane Society.