Marjorie Mae Bristol

1927 - 2010

Marjorie Mae (Mattson) Bristol Marge was born March 17, 1927 in Muskegon, Mich. Her grandpa owned the Fowler Brothers Circus with a menagerie of wild animals and an amusement park on West Lake, where Margie's friends could ride the merry-go-round for free with her. After high school she attended secretarial college, becoming proficient in typing and dictation.

She fell in love with Clare Bristol, they married and had three children while still in Muskegon. Marge worked as a secretary, was an expert seamstress, a real estate agent and an executive assistant over the years. Marjorie and family followed the cable t.v. industry as it began to expand in many parts of the country living in South Haven, Mich., Fort Wayne, Ind., and Edmonds, Wash. They finally ended up moving to Newbury Park in 1971 and both Clare and Marge spent many years working in Santa Monica for GTE which eventually became Verizon.

Marge was active in both Welcome Wagon and Newcomers. She and Clare were very gregarious and social, making very good friends wherever they lived. They played bridge avidly, enjoyed entertaining their friends, and savored their time in the California sunshine around their backyard pool. Clare and Marge spent 10 years after retirement traveling around the country in their R.V. Clare passed away in late 1998 after 49 years of marriage.

Marge began to attend a local bereavement class and met Art Landry who had just lost his wife Lana. We believe that the love they found for each other helped Marge continue living these last 11 years. As her quality of life deteriorated in recent months she would often say that she had lived a good life and wasn't afraid to die. Marge chose to be at home at the end of her life surrounded by family and friends.

The family would like to thank Nicole, Tamra, Mieko and Charity for providing love, help, support and encouragement for Marjorie these last seven months. We also appreciate the caregivers provided by Home Instead Senior Care, Simi Valley. Buena Vista Hospice was an invaluable resource for Marge as she wanted to be at home until the end. So many wonderful people!

Marge was preceded in death by her younger sister, Barbara Grunewald.

She is survived by her older sister, Betty Austin, and younger brother, Jack Mattson, and her three children, Marc Bristol and wife Gaby, Wendy Kappen and husband Kenny, Betsy Brown and husband Mark, 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

We are grateful for the love Marge showed us and the wonderful legacy she leaves this world in the family and friends that she has now left behind. We will miss her very much but are confident that we will once again see her in Heaven.

There will be a celebration of Marjorie's life at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Thousand Oaks. Donations may be made to Buena Vista Hospice, www.buenavistahospicecare.com in lieu of flowers.