Marjorie Waring

Marjorie Waring, 94, was born Sept. 14, 1929, to Helen (Scott) Howe and Loren Wallace Howe in Belleville. She died July 28, at the Park Villa Nursing Home, Clyde.

  Marge was baptized in the First Methodist Church, attended Belleville schools, graduating from BHS in 1947. She graduated from Christian College now Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri in 1949, and from Kansas State College in 1951 where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. 

One of Marge’s interests was horseback riding, and her summer job during her college years was as a riding instructor at San Luis Ranch in Colorado Springs.

She married Eugene Waring on Nov. 26, 1961, and soon after, they bought their home where they lived their entire married life and raised their children, Suzi, Scott and David.  

Marge and Gene shared many interests and worked together in the antiques and auction business until the time of Gene’s death in 2005.

Marge started playing the organ and accompanying the choir at the Methodist Church part-time basis in 1958 and continued as organist until her death, playing for hundreds of funerals and weddings, entertaining at the local care homes and for community events.  In 1971, she organized the church’s first English handbell choir and directed it for nine years, as well as organizing a children’s handbell choir.   For years, the annual Carols and Candles Christmas program was under her direction.   When Marge was 81 years of age and wishing to cut back and play only one Sunday a month, her church honored her with a reception.

She was an active member of the Shakespeare Club, serving as president twice.   Marge was a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood for 58 years.  She held numerous offices, organized many activities and produced musical performances for both local chapter functions, state P.E.O. conventions, and served as chapter president twice   She also served on the library board and was an organizer of the Cultural Arts Center.   For many years she was the organist and accompanist for the first Kansas Jr. Miss Pageants.

Marge was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene Waring in 2005;  and her brother, LeWallace Scott Howe. 

Survivors include her children, Suzanne and husband Bart Smith of Bozeman, Montana,  Scott and wife Ruth E. Waring of Phoenix, Arizona, and David and wife, Ruth Ann Waring, of Belleville