Sandy, OR resident Marjorie S. Richardson died peacefully at her home April 17, 2010. She was 92.
A private memorial service will be held in Michigan in June.
Marjorie, or Peggy as she was known, was born December 17, 1917, in Manhatten, New York to Frederick S. and Marjorie (Ward) Strong, Jr. She grew up at the Ward family homestead in Orchard Lake, Michigan. She received her schooling at Brookside and Kingswood School Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI., and she graduated at the age of 16. Peggy continued her education at Vassar College where she excelled in mathematics receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1938, at age 20. She had many fond memories of dances at West Point where both her father and grand-father had graduated. As a young girl she developed a passion for reading and sailing. She proved to be a fierce competitor winning many sailing championships over her lifetime.
In 1941 she married George H. Russel of Grosse Point, MI. They made their home in Birmingham, MI., and had three children. She also began a successful forty year career in the real estate business. In 1956 she and George were divorced.
In 1968, at the age of 50, Peggy married the love of her life William A. Richardson. They later retired to Naples, Florida where Peggy continued to pursue her love of sailing for over 15 years. She became a certified instructor and taught for almost ten years. She and William spent their summers at their home in Harbor Springs, Michigan where she also was able to follow her love of racing sailboats.
After William’s death in 1989, Peggy remained active in sailing. She also developed a fondness for cruises. She visited Hong Kong, Australia, the Mediterranean and Caribbean, the Panama Canal, and Alaska. At the same time, she started visiting her daughters in Oregon and Washington during the summer months. After she sold her place in Harbor Springs, she purchased a summer home in Welches, OR where she came every summer. She also moved her winter home from Naples to St. Petersburg, Florida, so that she could be closer to her son. She was still able to sail at 87 and placed third in the Captains Race Series that year.
Eventually, the trips back and forth became too tiring, and she sold her Welches residence and moved back to her lovely home in Florida. Two years ago she decided to stop driving, and moved to Sandy, OR to be closer to her daughters and son-in-law, yet remained fiercely independent. She had a great sense of humor that was often hampered by her severe hearing loss and her private nature.
Peggy had a gift for architectural design as well as interior decorating .She was also very artistically creative and loved to design costumes, decorations, and floral arrangements for holidays and special occasions. This sense of what was “pleasant“ to look at inspired her to always look her best. Another one of her loves was to garden. She was still transplanting trees and moving rocks at the age of 88.
Marjorie is survived by her daughters Jerrie (Marjorie )L. Russel of Stanwood, WA. and Anna M’Kinne of Welches; son, Sandy (George) H. Russel of St Petersburg, FL., sister Rosamond Bradshaw of Sedona, AZ., brother Frederick Strong III of Bloomfield Hills MI., sons William P. Richardson of Livonia, MI. and John T. Richardson of St.Clair, MI., three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother John (Jack)W. Strong.
Contributions may be made in Marjorie’s name to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Sandy Funeral Home is handling arrangements.