Marjorie "Marge" Mae Robards

Marge was the youngest of three daughters born to Andrew Carl (Bud) and Grace Beven Shultz on October 15, 1926. She was born in the family home on their farm in Muscotah, KS, during a snowstorm while her Dad was out in the barn chopping wood. Her family lived on three different 80-acre farms in her life and finally moved to Horton, KS, where Marge graduated from high school. She then moved to Topeka, where she met Harold Robards.

Marge and Harold were married in the Third Christian Church of Topeka on June 20, 1948. During their early years of marriage, Marge worked at the Kansas Department of Revenue, Hallmark, and Frito-Lay. Marge and Harold had two daughters, Claudia and Beverly, and after the children were both in school, she worked in the business office at Montgomery Ward and the Shawnee County Treasurer's Office. She served as the Shawnee County Assistant Treasurer and then as the Treasurer from 1979 to 1989, and made many friends during her tenure. She always enjoyed helping the taxpayers and was often seen in the hallway greeting people when they came in. After retirement from the county, Marge worked for a temp agency and enjoyed a variety of part-time jobs, with her favorite being a filing job in the Clock Tower Building at the Menninger Foundation.

Marge sang in the choir at Potwin Presbyterian Church, where the family attended services. She also served as a Girl Scout Leader for both daughters. She always enjoyed being with and helping children and youth, and that continued with her grandchildren. It wasn't unusual to see her taking her grandkids swimming, to the movies, the mall, and shuttling the kids and their friends after school.

After Harold's death, Marge transferred to First Presbyterian Church to attend with Claudia's family, where she made many more friends.

Marge and Beverly moved to Brewster Place, where her sister, Ruth, was living. Marge and Ruth enjoyed the activities at Brewster and the time they were able to be together, reminding them both of when they were young. Marge suffered from a stroke in June 2022 and moved to Brewster's Health Center for continued care. Although she missed her friends in the Redwood Building, her love of young people held her interest. Marge became like grandma to many of the staff who shared pictures of their babies, to her delight. Marge passed away on August 15th, two months to the day before her 99th birthday, with Claudia, Beverly, and the beloved staff members of Brewster Place at her side, who kept her comfortable until the end.

Marge is survived by her daughters, Claudia Perney and Beverly Robards; grandchildren, Gwendolyn Perney and Carl Perney; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at Penwell Gabel Funeral Home, 1321 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, KS. Her family will greet friends and relatives thirty minutes before the service. She will be laid to rest at Mount Hope Cemetery. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to First Presbyterian Church, 817 SW Harrison St, Topeka, KS 66612. 

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