Marjorie (Needham) Latzko

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY- Marjorie Needham Latzko died peacefully at home in Saratoga Springs, NY surrounded by her family. The daughter of the late Paul Hamby Needham and Pearl Louise Jensen Needham, Marjorie Needham Latzko was born in Hinsdale, Illinois and spent her childhood in Berwyn, Illinois. She attended LaVergne Elementary School and J. Sterling Morton High School. She was a hometown beauty queen named Miss Berwyn Community Chest and Miss Berwyn-Cicero. She attended DePauw University from 1948-50 as a music major and was named Mirage Queen in the school yearbook two years in a row. In 1974 she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Empire State College, SUNY.

Margie’s “glamorous days” began in 1951 when she was a stewardess for United Airlines. She left in July of 1953 to sing with the Chordettes, a female barbershop quartet who were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame and given the Billboard Triple Crown Award for their recording of “Mr. Sandman.” She appeared with the group on many TV and radio shows including Ed Sullivan, Perry Como, Dick Clark’s Bandstand, Jack Benny and Robert Q. Lewis. She performed in nightclubs, on variety shows and sang for President Dwight Eisenhower. In December of 1953, Marjorie married the arranger and coach for the Chordettes, Walter Latzko, who went on to become a joke writer for Arthur Godfrey and Gary Moore after the Chordettes left Godfrey in March 1953. They moved to Tomahawk Lake in Blooming Grove, NY, and Marjorie retired from the group in December 1956 to start a family. She returned in January 1959, traveling with the Chordettes, Andy Williams, the Everly Brothers and Archie Bleyer, owner of Cadence Records, to eight countries in Europe to promote their recordings. She was always in awe of the longevity of “Mr. Sandman,” and was amazed at all the different movies, TV shows, and commercials The Chordettes’ songs were used for.

If you ask Marjorie what she was most proud of, it was her career in human services that began in 1972. She was the co-founder of the Liberty Street and Lake Street Child Care Centers in Newburgh, NY as well as the Blooming Grove Day Care Center in Blooming Grove, NY. She was the founder and first Executive Director of the Child Care Council of Orange County; co-founder of the New York State Association of Child Care Councils; Orange County

Youth Services Coordinator; founder and first Executive Director of the Orange County Youth Bureau (named New York State Outstanding Youth Bureau Director of the year in 1978); Executive Director of Orange County Citizens Foundation; first Executive Director of the United Way of Western Orange County), and Vice President of Marketing for Wellness Home Care, Ltd. In 1987 she established her own business as sole proprietor of Marjorie Latzko Execu-Care, a personal management service for the elderly, dependent or disabled, which she operated for 27 years. In 2003 she was named Orange County Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Human Services. She was the co-founder of the Orange County Classic Choral Society, and co-proprietor of Latzko Muzik with her husband, Walter Latzko. 

Marjorie was very active in community organizations. She was the founder and first President of the Orange County Council of Community Agencies, a member of the Orange County Social Services Advisory Committee and the New York State Association of Youth Bureaus, and Vice President of the Arden Hill Hospital and Arden Hill Life Care Center Board of Directors. She was a charter member of the Orange County Health Care Systems Advisory Council and Orange County representative to the Hudson Valley Health Systems agency. She was an Associate member of the National Association of Private Geriatric Care Managers.

Marjorie also held numerous leadership positions in the Women’s Society of the Methodist Church and was a beloved member of a few others, most recently the Lewes Presbyterian Church in Lewes, Delaware, where she adored listening to her daughter Melanie play the piano and the organ.

In 2023, Marjorie relocated to Saratoga Springs, NY to live with her son Curtis and daughter-in-law Barbara. Prior to the move, she spent 10 years with her daughter Melanie and husband Jason in Lewes, DE until Melanie’s passing in 2022. Some of Margie’s favorite things were classical music, listening to her audiobooks on notable figures, spending time in the sun listening to her great-grandson Charlie squeal with laughter in the pool, enjoying the company of Curtis and Barbara’s cats, and dessert, especially her nightly ice cream.

Marjorie is predeceased by her husband of fifty-six years, Walter O. Latzko, her daughter, Melanie Latzko Bradley, and her brother, Robert Needham.

She is survived by her son, Jeffrey Latzko and his wife Josephine of Streamwood, Illinois; son, Curtis Latzko and his wife Barbara of Saratoga Springs, New York; son-in-law Jason Bradley of Lewes, Delaware; grandchildren Jinene (Kris), Dina (Jason), Jeffrey (Melissa), Kevin, Jennifer, Sarah (Aaron), Emily, Aaron and Ryan; great-grandchildren Taylyr, Madeline, Colton, Ava and Charlie; her brother Richard Needham as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins and her trusted friend Lynn Green.

The family wishes to thank Mitch Forshey, PA and Dr. John Pezzulo, for their wonderful care, dedication and compassion, as well as N.P Stacey McHale-McBain and The Community Hospice. 

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Home, 628 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY.

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made in Marjorie’s name to Clear Space Theatre Company, 20 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach DE 19971.