Marjorie Reeve (born Seely)
Personal
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: July 28, 1918
Date of Death: January 18, 2012
Birth Place: Castle Dale, UT
Death Place: Mt. Holly, PA
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Marjorie Seely Reeve |
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As of Jan. 12 2012 Marjorie and Dutch are together again, as Marge passed away due to a long battle with old age. She was in Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mt. Holly when she returned to her Heavenly Father. She was 93. Marjorie was born July 28, 1918 in Castle Dale, Utah to David Randolph and Elva Singleton Seely. She was the fourth child of five. She had 2 older brothers, Hugh and Lowry, a sister, Clara and a younger brother, Preston. She married her college sweetheart, Eldrow ‘Dutch’ Reeve from Hurricane, Utah on Sept. 16, 1941 in the Manti Temple, Manti Utah. Growing up as a Seely in Castle Dale was ‘great’ as Marge was the daughter of the ‘first family.’ Her grandparents were Orange and Hannah Seely who had been called by Brigham Young to settle Emery Co. She stated, ‘being the descendant of such noble and righteous people instills in me a desire to bring honor and respect to them and our family.’ As the Seely family was huge she always admonished, ‘there is a Seely under every sage brush, so be careful about what you say and who you talk about!’ Since her dad, David Seely, was a stockman he lived with the cattle and sheep. Thus Marge’s family spent the summers at the homestead on the Book Cliff Mountains tending the animals. By the age of three, she was the tomboy/cowgirl doing her share of the ranching work. She definitely was also a girlie girl and a momma’s girl. Winters were spent in Castle Dale so she and her brothers could go to school. She attended the Castle Dale schools and graduated from Central High School in 1936 as valedictorian. After high school graduation Marjorie went to Utah State University where she graduated in 1940 with a bachelors degree in Home Economics. As a student at USU she was a member of various clubs and was President of Kappa Delta Sorority. Her first year of teaching was in Green River, Utah. She completed her master’s degree at West Chester State University, West Chester, Pa. She continued her teaching career at Brandywine Wallace Elementary School in the Downingtown, Pa. school district. She was recognized for her teaching excellence in 1970 and again in 1972 when she received the ‘Outstanding Teacher of the Year’ award. Marge and Dutch felt that a college education was critically important for young people. Thus they endowed four scholarships, one each at Emery Co. High School, Hurricane High School, Utah State University and Southern Utah University. Marjorie was a remarkable mother and teacher to her two children, Randy and Jean. The love of her life was being with family and friends. She was constantly planning family gatherings and thrived at family reunions. She was the family teacher, often helping great-nieces and nephews learn how to read, write and compute. Because of her amazing ability to connect with and make people feel important, special, and loved, she was always the ‘go to’ person in good times and bad. I don’t think she ever met a stranger. Marjorie also had a very quick wit and sense of humor. At family reunions you could always depend on her to help instigate a water fight or some other rabble rousing event. Marjorie and Dutch have two children: Harold Randolph ‘Randy’ Reeve (Christine) of Medford, and Elva Jean Reeve Lopour (Joe) of Cedar City, Utah. The couple’s four grandchildren include: Sarah Caroline Pharris (Brian), Kimberly Ane Petersen (Cody), David Randolph Reeve and Andrew Palmer Reeve. There are five great-grandchildren: Payton, Halle, Aaron, Nathan and Christian. She is also survived by a very beloved sister-in-law, Gwen Seely of Moab, Utah, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nephews and nieces. She is preceded in death by her husband, Eldrow Dutch Reeve, her parents, David Randolph and Elva Singleton Seely, and her brothers, Hugh, Lowry, and Preston, and her sister, Clara Seely. Marjorie will be buried in Cedar City Utah on Jan. 19, 2012 in a private family ceremony. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Jean Reeve Endowed Scholarship Fund and mailed to Southern Utah University, 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, Utah 84720, Attention: Lori Blackner. Include on the check or write a short note ‘in memory of Marjorie S. Reeve.’ Posted in Courier times (PA) on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 |
Marjorie Seely Reeve