Marjorie Anne Spletstoser

Marjorie Anne (Westgard) Spletstoser, 80, of Shedd, Oregon, passed away at the intriguing 23rd hour (11pm) of October 23, 2023 at her home after four months under the loving care of family, hospice and friends. Marjorie had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Marjorie was born in Minot, North Dakota, on August 25, 1943, the daughter of the late Orville and Myrtle Westgard (each contributed 23 chromosomes) of Plaza, ND. She is survived by her spouse, Wayne, daughter Kaelin, son Eric (Andrea) and four grandchildren: Cole, Bryn, Emmett and Elliott. She was preceded in death by her son, Steven (Anne) in 2011 and grandson, Benjamin, in 1996. She is also survived by three siblings: Betty (Feryle) Borgeson, MN; Dr. James Westgard (Joan), WI; and Dr. David Westgard (Solveig), MN; and eight thriving nieces and nephews. Marjorie was born at Trinity Hospital in Minot. Myrtle, ready to conceive, met Laura Spletstoser carrying "Baby Wayne" (an enduring nickname) at the hospital door as fate began to weave its web. Marjorie attended the small town (400) school in Plaza. She sat behind Wayne in first grade. He hit on her almost immediately! He turned and asked: "Who do you like?" "Mr. Nobody," was her quick reply. Later, that proved so prophetic...no nail has been hit on the head any harder! Marjorie was very bright. She graduated as valedictorian from high school and with summa cum laude honors in 1965 from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN. Upon completion of her coursework, she began her elementary teaching career in Campbell, MN. After seven years of courtship, she married "Baby Wayne/Mr.Nobody," that summer! Both did teaching stints in Beloit, WI and St. Paul, MN. Incomprehensibly, and a long story but truthful, Sputnik and the Cold War changed Marge's orbit to Oregon in 1970. She ended up on a small farm near Shedd in 1975, where Marjorie tutored, honed her incredible homemaking skills, learned to pull lambs, raised three children, and then taught for 15 years in Brownsville and Halsey. But that is all mostly nuts and bolts. Ask anyone who knew her, and they will go off on this kind, gentle, endearing, caring, humorous, supportive, generous, Reisling-sipping, walleye-fishing, breast cancer-surviving, piano-playing, lefse-making, baler-loving, dirt-digging, world-traveling (China, Alaska, Much of Europe, Costa Rica), Zip-lining, but mostly fervently, children-loving woman. She loved basketball and followed her former students to Pendleton faithfully. She loved playing piano duets with Kaelin and listening to Eric sing. She loved reading with her grandchildren. She was a master fiber artist, doing spinning, knitting and weaving. She was an avid gardener of both vegetables and flowers and canned or dried produce to a bursting pantry. If you were her friend, chances are you are wearing, have hanging or are craving one of her gifts. Her remaining, legendary, blackberry, pepper jelly will be available on eBay soon and should fund her grandkids thru college! But, she was inaptly prone to humility: "I was just an elementary teacher, teaching the PRIMARY grades. I did what I could!" To which Mr. Nobody gives this quick reply! "Just go paint your house without a PRIMARY coat. That glamour paint alone may not grasp a thing or may quickly fade." She made a difference! Her base coat made kids grasp and never fade! Her family and friends will miss her greatly. She was loved by so many. She passed shortly after her husband recited the 23rd Psalm for her. A memorial/celebration will be held at the McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis at 3:00 pm on Saturday, Nov. 11 and St. Timothy Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN at 11:00 am on Nov. 18. The public is invited. Wear a gift from Marge! Suggested honorariums of $23: Evergreen Hospice or any Children's benevolence. To offer comments go to www.mchenryfuneralhome.com.

Tributes

Marjorie Anne Spletstoser

August 25, 1943 - October 23, 2023