Marjorie (Cook) Saxe

Heaven got a little sweeter Wednesday, December 4, with the passing of Marjorie Cook Saxe. Marge was born on September 3, 1920, to Rev. C.N. Cook and Grace (House) Cook. She had a brother James and a sister, Leota.

Marge attended Oak Hill School located close to Twin Oaks her first eight years, walking about a mile from her family’s home on present Lake Benton Road, and crossing the spillway on Lake Hamilton. She graduated from Benton Township High School in 1938.

Marge began working as a nurse at the Miners Hospital in West Frankfort, Illinois. She married Byford Webster on December 1, 1942. They had two children, Charles and David. She later began working for her parents at Cook’s Greenhouse and finished her career working for her sons at Flowers by Dave, retiring when she was ninety-five years old.

Marge married John D. Cunningham on August 29, 1966, and he preceded her in death on November 26, 1989. John’s family is daughter Joyce (John) Morton, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Marge later married Lester Saxe on August 16, 1994, and he preceded her in death on March 2, 2008. Lester’s family is Marilee (Lyndell) Anderson, Tom (Susan) Saxe, Larry (Sharon) Saxe, and Elaine ( Norman) Hayden, 23 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren.

Marge was preceded in death by her parents, her brother James and wife Louise, her infant brother Charles, Byford Webster, John Cunningham, and Lester Saxe and Brother-In-Law Rev. B. W. Downing.

Marge is survived by sons Charles (Sondra) Webster, David (Sharon) Webster, sister Leota Downing, grandchildren Kevin( Jennifer) Webster, Kerri (Jim) Cottle, Scott ( Holly) Webster, Krista (Jeff) Marlow; great grandchildren Bradley (Becky) Cottle, Alison Webster, Emma Webster, Bethany Cottle, Ryan Webster, Matthew Marlow, Bailey Webster, Brooklynn Webster, Mason Marlow; great-great grandchildren Kalib and Addison Mayberry, Braxton Cottle, several nieces and nephews, and the families of John Cunningham and Lester Saxe.

Marge was the oldest living member of the Benton First Church of the Nazarene, where she devoted her life to the ministry of children. She was also a charter member of the women’s ministries group, the Daughters of Dorcas, where she served as president of many years.

Funeral services will be conducted by Dr. Garry Pate, Rev. Steve Shotts, and Rev. James Cottle, at the church she attended and served, First Church of the Nazarene, Ninth and Kirkpatrick Streets, on Monday, Dec 9, at 2:00 P.M. Visitation will be Sunday at the church from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Burial will be at Shiloh Cemetery in Whittington.

The family wishes to thank Tonya Dawson, Jean Sullivan, Shirley Davis, Judy Houseworth, and Roger Akin for the love and care shown to Marge during her illness.

For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

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