Marjorie Louise Works

Marjorie was the daughter of Galen Gifford Wyatt (1893-1979) and Juanita Havergal Willis (1893-1983). She was the second child of five siblings (Elaine, Esther, Jimmy and George Ross) and the only to reach the 100 year milestone. Marjorie was pre-deceased by her parents and four siblings, and her husband of 39 years, John “Jack” Downey Works, III, who was a World War II veteran.

Marjorie’s parents knew each other from school and lost track of each other after graduation in 1913 from Chanute High School, Kansas. Rumor has it that while serving in the US Army as an ambulance driver in France during WWI, Galen’s mother sent him a letter with a notice from the local paper that Juanita had graduated from secretarial school and he noticed she was single, so he sent a letter to Juanita asking if she might like to be his pen pal. The rest is history. They married in 1920.

During the Depression of the 1920’s, jobs were scarce. So, after much deliberation, Galen and Juanita decided to head west and start over. They were living in Branson, Missouri trying their best to be farmers. By September 1929, they were on the road and with their three oldest children drove west. Elaine, Marjorie and Esther could recall the long hard days of riding in the rumble seat or on their mother’s lap while she was very pregnant with their brother Jimmy in a hupmobile. They endured flat tires, dust storms, thunderstorms, thirst, hunger and boredom. They finally arrived at the edge of the city of Los Angeles and Galen found a job in a rock quarry.

They moved frequently due to Galen’s jobs, but ultimately made their home in Long Beach. Marge graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in February 1942; they lived on 19th Street and around 1948 moved to 56th Street, where they lived until their deaths. Her first jobs were as a hostess for Clifton‘s Cafeteria, as a saleswoman for Walker’s Department Store and a Hostess at Joneses Dining Room. Eventually, she was hired by Los Angeles City School District (now LAUSD) where she worked in cafeterias at different schools in the South Bay Area. It was there that Marge perfected the famous recipe for Cinnamon Coffee Cake for home/personal use. Marge’s coffee cake was well known within the family and by neighbors and friends.

Marge was simply wonderful. She was always known as creative and she designed her own clothes as early as a pre-teen under the tutelage of her sister Elaine, she loved to decorate and redecorate her home and craft delicious meals, but also she enjoyed family camping outings, cross country road trips, and visiting with family, friends and neighbors. Marge enjoyed staying informed about news and politics by watching FOX News daily and she would engage in talking politics and elections. Despite her very full life, her #1 priority was always her immediate family including husband Jack, daughter Sandy, granddaughter Stacey and great-granddaughter Danika, stepdaughter Louise Mnich and stepson, John.

Marge was our matriarch and she spread her love everywhere. She made a point of knowing what was going on in everyone’s life. If she thought she could help a family member or a new acquaintance, she would. Marge Works will be missed. After 100 years, 6 months and 23 days, she made her mark on the hearts of all who knew her.