Obituary of Marjorie L. Burgess

Marjorie Litz Burgess passed away peacefully at her home in Naples, Florida on December 27th with her devoted husband Richard at her side. They were married on December 17, 1949 and recently celebrated their 64th anniversary. January would have marked her 86th birthday. Marjorie was known by her friends and loved ones for her strength of character and will, her charity and her profound devotion to her family. Her mother, Marie Gregory Litz, a World War I yeoman, instilled in her a lasting and robust understanding of obligation toward the less fortunate, along with a deep commitment to friends and loved ones - ideas which informed her actions and were never far from her everyday life. Born in East Hartford, Connecticut in January 1928, Marjorie began her life side by side with her future husband Richard in the church nursery. A 1949 graduate of Skidmore College, Marjorie taught home economics - a skill she extended into her life as a mother, homemaker and cook. She enjoyed entertaining friends and neighbors at her home, and was renowned for her elaborately-planned family reunions. She spent many joyful hours sanding and restoring antiques in their red barn, and remodeling and furnishing her Victorian guesthouse next door. A passionate gardener, Marjorie once wrote, "Come with me to my garden. Wear what you wish. I'll be in men's khaki pants, a frayed long sleeved shirt, worn-out running shoes and a beat up straw hat." Marjorie was an avid runner and tennis player, and emphasized a healthy lifestyle throughout her life and long before it was in vogue, placing second in the over-fifty category in the Marco Island Great Island Run in 2001. She was honored that same year by Skidmore College for her generous contribution toward the college's Burgess (Internet) Cafe. She directed the children's choir in the Ames Methodist Church, where she and her husband were members since 1951, and loved music and playing her piano. She was also a member of the Colonial and Garden Clubs and a Brownie leader in Canajoharie, N.Y. She traveled around the world with her husband several times over the years. Marjorie was active in numerous local and other philanthropies throughout her life, including serving on the Board of Directors for Pathfinder Village, a residential and therapeutic community in upstate New York offering independent living for people with Down's Syndrome. In addition to her husband, Richard Burgess, Marjorie is survived by her four daughters: Christine Gordon (Northern California), Kim Kluxen Meredith (Pennsylvania ), Jill Wiener (New York), and Vanessa Burgess (New York); eight granddaughters; Megan, Rachael, Zoe, Samantha, Ashley, Victoria, Jill and Marjorie; one grandson, Richard; two great grandchildren, Max and Charlotte; and a nephew; Robert, living in Germany. She was predeceased by her parents Frederick August and Marie Gregory Litz, and a brother Robert. A memorial service for family and friends will be held in Ames, New York in the spring of 2014. Arrangements are under the direction of Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home, Inc., 20 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, NY 13317. The family requests that those wishing to commemorate her life consider a contribution to the Marjorie Litz '49 Scholarship Fund, Skidmore College, 815 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, N.Y, 12886.