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A former Love County educator will be fondly remembered by students and friends in Marietta.
Marjorie Adele Starritt Bentzen Walling was surrounded by friends, family and the Faith Presbyterian Hospice when she died at the home of her daughter, Sydney, in McKinney, Texas on Thursday, July 7, 2011, at the age of 91.
Having taught school in Marietta, Mrs. Starritt, as she was known here, maintained close friendships with local residents Marie Holloway McMeans, Sybil Holloway Reid, Joyce Holloway Lofton, Wanda Robertson, Nadine Bonnell, Clara Louise Cameron Hodges, Irene Nix and Billie Marie Howard Lindsey.
A resident of San Antonio, Texas most of her adult life, she had many dear friends in the neighborhood, church, bridge group and from teaching school. NorthEast ISD even named a day after her in 1983 when she retired with almost 40 years of experience.
Mrs. Walling moved to McKinney the final year of her life to be with her daughter.
She is survived by a son, Gordon Bentzen; her daughter, Sydney Adele Walling McGee; a granddaughter, Kelsey Anne McGee; and a great-granddaughter, Kenzie. Other survivors include grandchildren, Elizabeth and David Bentzen; great-grandson Carter; brother-in-law, Bob Teape; and nephews, Robby and Chris Teape.
Mrs. Walling cited Marietta to be her hometown and where she had her fondest memories, including attending the First Baptist Church and going to Falls Creek.
She is the daughter of Sidney Starritt, an original enrollee in the Dawes Roll Book of Nations in the Choctaw Tribe, and Virginia “Granny” Starritt.
After she had her own family, they spent holidays and summers in Marietta sharing many stories while cooking, playing games, shopping and going to church with “Granny” and Pauline Tucker, whom she knew as “Aunt Peggy.”
“Marjorie’s fearlessness, her public spirit, her contempt for convention and her indifference to the opinion of the majority have always been good and worthy of imitation,” her family said.
A photo of Mrs. Walling was included with her obituary.
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