Marion Louise Langley

1916 - 2022

Marion Louise Langley
Oct. 4, 1916 - Mar. 31, 2022
Campbell
Marion Atkinson Langley
October 4, 1916---March 31, 2022
On March 31, Marion Atkinson Langley woke up, washed her face, powdered her nose, cracked a joke to her friend and passed away. As she told us, "When it's time to go, I'll go. I think I'm going up, but it would probably be more fun to go down". After 105 years, it was time to go, and she joined her beloved parents, three sisters, and friends long since departed from earth.
Marion, a fifth generation resident of Santa Clara Valley, was born on October 4, 1916, to William Leroy Atkinson and Charlotte Bray Atkinson. The family's first home was on Hawthorne Way, and Marion described waiting for the lamp lighter nightly to help him light the streetlamps.
She was enormously proud of her family. Her father, W. L., a realtor and orchardist, was active in many aspects of Santa Clara County: He was one of San Jose's first city council members, on the S.C. County Water Board (and part of earmarking land for percolation ponds and reservoirs); in Rotary Club, a member of the San Jose Symphony, and could even whistle many of the local bird calls.
Marion's mother, Charlotte, raised her four daughters to be inquisitive and independent. She was one of the first members of the To Kalon Club of San Jose, which brought cultural and intellectual speakers to members who otherwise were dependent on the newspapers and husbands for broadening their horizons. Marion and her sister Marge spent scores of hours researching family genealogy. They discovered that their Bray ancestors were active in colonial Williamsburg in the 1600's and that later Brays were patriots in the Revolutionary War.
Marion attended Hester Grammar School, Roosevelt Junior High, and San Jose High School. She attended U.C. Berkeley, and in1936, from her balcony in the Berkeley Hills, she watched the lights of the newly constructed Bay Bridge illuminated for the first time. This was the era of Big Band music, and Marion loved listening and dancing to Glen Miller and his cronies. WWII interrupted her education, and she married her grade school through college sweetheart, Arlington "Link" Langley, before he deployed overseas.
Marion lived in Willow Glen, and was a consummate mother to her two daughters. She was a Blue Bird and Brownie leader, drove everybody to the movies, baked cookies for the classrooms, and chaperoned any event that needed a chaperone.
When her daughters were older, Marion earned her teaching credential, and taught history, her passion, at Bret Hart Junior High for 20 years. Students returned to visit her long after graduating, recalling such lessons as: "We never played soccer in the Middle Ages. I'm not sure that we had invented a ball at that time. Who wants to check? And by the way, they should have named it soc-him."
She adored her grandsons and great granddaughters. She was an active participant in and fan of every game, birthday party, graduation, garage sale, concert, story or photo in which they were a part.
A very positive person, Marion's philosophy was "Life is what YOU make it. You can be happy or sad, grateful or mad. Life happens and you just have to make adjustments. You can't control life, but you can control your attitude." She was also hilarious, delivering fun with a twinkle in her eye
("I have a new job: Pill container!")
A 20 year volunteer at History San Jose, Marion was also a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, PEO, To Kalon, DAR, and subscribed to the Symphony, Opera San Jose, Civic Light Opera, and Celebrity Forum. And pre-Covid, at age 102, she still loved playing bridge.
Marion leaves her beloved family members, daughters Arleen Langley Runels and Cindy Langley Andrews, son-in-law Stephen Andrews, grandsons Tim and his wife Avital, Joe and his wife Claire, and great granddaughters Hannah Eloise and Frances. The family wishes to extend their deep gratitude to Nohemi Guitierrez for her care and love, and to all of the staff at Campbell Village.
Memorial donations can be sent to History San Jose, 1650 Senter Road, San Jose, CA 95112.
A memorial service will be held on June 3, 1:30 p.m., in the Chapel of Roses at Oak Hill Funeral Home, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose


View the online memorial for Marion Louise Langley