Marjorie Lee Benner

TRAVERSE CITY — Marjorie Benner, of Traverse City and a resident of Washington, D.C., for over 55 years, died on Oct. 3, 2008, at the Munson Hospice House, following a brief illness.

Born May 24, 1921, in Memphis, Tenn., the daughter of Thomas Dean and Minnie Estelle Shroyer, she lived in Memphis and graduated in 1939 from Memphis Tech High School. She attended Mrs. Schultz's Secretarial School in Memphis. She took the Civil Service Entrance Exam and in February 1941 was recruited to come to Washington, D.C., with the U. S. Army Air Corps. In 1942 she was assigned to the Pentagon, which had just opened. She worked there until after the war, when she met her future husband and love of her life, Gordon (Bob) Benner in October 1945. They married March 9, 1946, and together raised three daughters and played a key role in the rearing of two of their granddaughters.

Marge resumed her career after a 10 year break in service, and retired from the Department of the Air Force in April 1980 with 30 years of service. During her career, she was awarded seven Outstanding Performance awards. She treasured her experiences and felt privileged to have had her career and appreciated it even more in recent years.

Marjorie and Bob were also devoted to Mrs. Shroyer, who lived with them for many years, and they cared for her until her death at age 100. Marge was an ardent fan of classical music and concerts at Constitution Hall and enjoyed playing the piano. The National Gallery of Art was a favorite destination and she especially loved a trip to Europe in 1991. She fell in love with Paris and many monuments, cathedrals and galleries in Belgium, Holland and Germany. Since 2003, she has lived at Glen Eagle in Traverse City and enjoyed the beauty of nature and concerts at Interlochen Arts Academy and performances by the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. She also enjoyed summer and family activities on Torch Lake (including jet-skiing at age 82) surrounded by her great-grandchildren. On any given day during cold weather, she enjoyed classic movies.

She is survived and will be sorely missed by her daughters, Diane (Edward) Huller of Alden, Valerie (Walter) Monahan of Buffalo, N.Y., and Gail MacMullin of Orange, Va.; six grandchildren, Wendy (Brian) Sosville, Scott (Leigh Ann) Huller, Kelly (David) Frothingham, Michael (Becky Butler) Monahan, Marilyn (Casey) Kerns and Laura MacMullin; and her great-grandchildren, Jack, Sam, Ben, Luke, Jake, Molly, Ryan, Logan and Julian, who loved their "GG". She also leaves many special friends at Glen Eagle, especially Ellie Rodair and Helen Sabo.

She was predeceased by her husband of 56 years in 2002; eight siblings; and two infant sons.

Her family wishes to thank the physicians and nurses of Munson Hospital, who cared for her so lovingly; the kind and loving EMTs and the staff at the Munson Hospice House for their care. It brought her so much peace.

Funeral services will be held at noon Oct. 15, with visitation beginning 11 a.m. at Demaine Funeral Home in Springfield, Va., with interment in Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, Va.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Munson Hospice House.

Arrangements are being entrusted to Covell Funeral Home and Demaine Funeral Home.

This obituary was originally published in the Record-Eagle.