Marjorie Golden

MADISON – Marjorie Elaine “Marge” Golden, age 97, died peacefully surrounded by her family at Attic Angels Nursing Home in Middleton, on Saturday morning Feb. 7, 2015.

Marge was born Marjorie Melberg on April 6, 1917, in Bloomer, Wis., to Edward and Ella (Lund) Melberg. She graduated from Bloomer High School in 1935 and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a nursing degree in 1939. She served during World War II as an Ensign in the Naval Nursing Corps in Paris Island, S.C. , resigning from active duty effective Oct. 13, 1943.

Marge met her partner for life, Dr. Farrell F. Golden, during nursing school at UW-Madison, where he was a pre-med student. They were married in St. Peter’s Cathedral in New York City on Aug. 6, 1943, during Farrell’s furlough from the U.S.S. McLanahan, where he served as Medical Officer during World War II from 1942-44. They remained married for 51 years until Farrell’s death in 1995.

Marge was an amazing woman of multiple talents and interests, most notably of which was her undying devotion to her two adopted sons, Dan and John. She spent the major portion of her life tending to the needs of her two sons and then later on to her eight grandchildren and their families. She and Farrell leave a legacy of support and generosity that cannot be repaid.

Outside of her family, Marge was involved in community and social organizations too numerous to mention. She has been a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish for 54 years, and an active member of the Queens Guild for many of those years. She contributed years of her life to charitable and philanthropic efforts; volunteering her nursing skills at St Mary’s Hospital, delivering Meals on Wheels, volunteering at Edgewood High School and donating her time and resources to many other charitable activities and fundraising efforts.

Marge had a very wide, diverse and loyal group of friends. She was an avid bridge player and belonged to several clubs, most notably the “Giggle Club” which was aptly named. She was an active member of Nakoma Golf Club for 54 years, playing golf in the Women’s 18 hole group and later the 9 hole group when her boundless energy decreased slightly. Perhaps her greatest joy in life outside of family came from her travel group and the committed friends that cared for and nurtured each other during their travels around the world. She loved traveling to all corners of the earth with her friends and always eagerly anticipated their next destination. She was also an avid UW football fan; she and Farrell had season tickets for over 60 years and she enjoyed trips to Minneapolis for games against the hated Gophers.

Marge will be remembered by her family and friends for her absolute love of life, her wonderful sense of humor and loud distinctive laugh, her incredible intellect and insight, great sense of humility and thankfulness and kindness and generosity that knew no boundaries.

Survivors include her two sons, John (Carroll) Golden of Dallas, Texas, and Daniel (Denise) of Wisconsin Rapids; grandchildren, Kati (Michael) Tvaruzka, Bridget (Andrew) Long, Andrew (Sarah) Golden, Brian (Tiffany) Golden, Matthew (Kellye) Golden, Christopher (Brooke) Golden, Molly Golden and Joseph Golden; great-grandchildren, Marie Golden, Samuel Golden, Elise Marjorie Golden, Alexander Golden, William Golden, Emerson Golden, Grace Golden, Anthony Golden, Ella Tvaruzka, Anna Tvauzka, Simon Tvaurzka, Clare Long, Jack Long and many nieces and nephews.

Marge was preceded in death by her husband, Farrell Golden; her parents, Edward and Ella Melberg; sisters, Mary Lou (BR) Sutton, Lois (Mac) Woodruff; and brother, Maurice (Marjorie) Melberg.

Special thanks go out to the wonderful staff at Attic Angels Nursing Home who cared for Marge over the last eight years, the kind and caring nurses from Agrace HospiceCare and Marge’s three guardian angels; Mary Ann Dahl, Pat Casad and Brooke Golden.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 401 S. Owen Drive on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, at 11 a.m. with Father Bill Nolan presiding. There will be a visitation for family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Queen of Peace. Burial will follow the service at Resurrection Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Edgewood High School Endowment Fund, the Queen of Peace School Endowment Fund or St. Mary’s Hospital.