Marjorie Jean (Heath) Ellis, age 91, of Washington, formerly of Sioux City, Iowa, died Monday, December 19, 2011, at Halcyon House after failing in health for the past nine months.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 28th at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, Iowa. Memorial services will be held 2:00 p.m Friday, December 23, 2011, at Halcyon House Chapel with services officiated by Rev. Nancy Oehler-Love. Interment will take place at the Graceland Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa. Memorials have been established for Lending Hands. The Jones Eden Funeral Home is assisting with local arrangements.
Marjorie was born June 13, 1920, in Sioux City, the daughter of Elmer R. and Jettie (Onstot) Heath. She graduated from Bronson High School in 1937 and attended National Business Training in Sioux City. On June 16, 1940, Marge was united in marriage to Glenn A. Ellis in Sioux City, Iowa. Together, they lived most of their married lives in Sioux City before moving to Washington in 2007.
Marge worked as a secretary for an insurance company in Saint Paul, Minnesota during World War II. She later worked as a church secretary at Morningside Presbyterian Church, secretary for the Clerk of Northwest Iowa Presbytery, and later as a school secretary for the Sioux City School District until her retirement in 1980.
She was a member of Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City and attended the United Presbyterian Church in Washington for the past four years. She enjoyed traveling with her husband to all 50 states and abroad. Together they wintered in Texas for 25 years where she volunteered in the schools. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, dancing, genealogy, and special life-long relationships with Sewing Club friends.
Marjorie is survived by her husband Glenn Ellis of Washington, Iowa; daughter Virginia Bordwell and husband Richard of Washington, Iowa; American Field Service daughter Inger Marie Bergene of Koppang, Norway; two granddaughters Marilyn DeLaure and husband Max of Fairfax, California and Stephanie Quackenbush and husband Peter of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and three great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Nancy in 1996, step mother Marguerite Heath, and sister Margaret Ann Michas.