Marjorie lived among the trees, flowers, and birds she loved in the family home in Raleigh for 52 years. On Feb. 1, 2013, Marjorie moved to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen where she joined many longtime friends, including many church members. She was happy and comfortable there in her new home, being, as she said, a woman who adjusted easily to many circumstances. Marjorie was a transplanted New Englander who surprised herself by her deep affinity for her adopted home in the South.
Marjorie had an abiding faith in God's mysterious presence in all people and creatures of this earth, and in the earth itself. She loved her church community at the Community United Church of Christ, where she and Art were committed members throughout their adult lives. Marjorie expressed her faith actively in her commitments to people and causes that mattered to her deeply. These included many years engaged in this country's Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Rights and Gay Rights Movements. Community action was important to her. For years, Marjorie delivered meals for the Meals-on-Wheels program, collected food bags for the Urban Ministries Food Pantry, and participated on the Rich Park Board. She was proud to participate faithfully in the Raleigh Peace Vigil as a “Grandma for Peace!” Recently she was honored with the Carolyn and Cy King Peace and Justice Award, a tribute she treasured.
Marjorie enjoyed so many experiences in her good, long life, but simple pleasures meant the most to her: cooking and sharing meals with family and friends, playing games at her dining room table, watching birds from her breakfast table, picnics on the back deck, evenings by fireside, reading, sewing, knitting, and tending her garden. She also enjoyed tent camping with her family; establishing a Christmas Tree Farm at Art’s family home in CT; and lifelong learning through the CUCC forum, Elderhostel, and college courses at Meredith College and elsewhere. She loved visiting art museums, attending ballet and symphony performances, and going to the theater. She always focused on the positive and accepted life's imperfections and minor disappointments philosophically.
Marjorie and Art shared a love of travel, both visiting other countries and living in them. With their children they lived in Taiwan, Japan, and Afghanistan, while Art taught Electrical Engineering at local universities. One experience of which Marjorie herself was incredulous in her later years was bringing her four young children home from Taiwan solo. While Art finished his work in Taiwan, Marjorie shepherded her children home to Vermont aboard a Danish cargo ship. Those who knew Art as well will understand that this was, in fact, his idea! Marjorie and Art were active in SERVAS and Friendship Force in their retirement years. A highlight for Marjorie, her daughters, and Christine’s husband Michael in recent years was a small boat cruise from Croatia to Greece on the Adriatic Sea. Marjorie and her daughters also enjoyed retreats to the NC mountains, the NC and Oregon coasts, and one exceptional trip to the English Lake District and Scotland. Marjorie enjoyed many special times with her son Alan who died in 2005, and her son Peter who lives in Raleigh.
Marjorie and Art took great pleasure in their grandsons- Peter's son Jonathan, Marilyn's son Daniel, and Christine's son Damian. Visits with Grandma and Grandpa were much- anticipated by all. Art and Marjorie had many adventures with Jonathan at their CT Christmas Tree farm. With Daniel, they explored the parks and enjoyed campfires and s'mores in Bellingham, WA. With Damian, they enjoyed outdoor activities in Fort Collins, CO, and Corvallis, OR. Despite all living at a considerable distance from NC, Marjorie and Art were a strong, caring presence in their grandsons' lives.
In recent years Marjorie was happy to see her grandson Jonathan, who lives on Long Island, marry and have a son of his own, Daniel. She was proud to see her grandson Daniel complete an MBA degree and accept a position as a Management Consultant in DC. She was thrilled that her grandson Damian was selected for NOAA Corps where he worked aboard a hydrographic research vessel and is soon to enter graduate school at U of NH. Marjorie was proud of her grandsons' accomplishments, but what made her happiest was that they were embarked on meaningful, satisfying lives.
Love, humility, and compassionate acceptance of differences were the threads that ran through Marjorie's life. She never waivered from her belief that we are ALL God's children, equally beautiful and deserving in God's eyes. Marjorie was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a beautiful and much loved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. We will miss her everyday, but we are so thankful, family and friends alike, for her loving and faithful presence in our lives.
