Marjorie Kurth

October 20, 2006

Funeral services for Marjorie Baker Kurth, 83, of Jefferson, will be 3:00 pm Monday at the Greenewood Center, 401 West Greenewood Road, Jefferson. Visitation with the family will follow the funeral. Interment will be in the Jefferson Cemetery. Friends may call at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson after 12 noon Sunday. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Central Iowa in Boone, or Central Christian Church in Jefferson. Marjorie Mae Parr, daughter of H.K. “Mick” Parr and Blanche Mae Rhoades Parr, was born September 9, 1923 at Jefferson, Iowa. She passed away October 20, 2006 at her home in Jefferson at the age of 83 years. Marjorie grew up in Jefferson and graduated from Jefferson High School with the class of 1941. She worked for a short time at Gordon Café, and then as a receptionist at the Jefferson Clinic, (across from Slininger Funeral Home). When her brother, Jim Parr, left for the service, she took his job at Empire Diamond Company. Marjorie was united in marriage with Clarence N. “Short” Baker on February 6, 1943 in Abilene, Texas, where Short was in the U.S. Army. After they returned to Greene County, they farmed near Jefferson, Paton, and Dana. During those years, Short called square dances, so they did lots of square dancing. In 1967, they left the farm and moved to Jefferson where they were custodians at the Greene County Court House. Marjorie worked right along side Short, until they retired in 1986 due to his health. They had purchased a cabin at Twin Lakes and spent much of their summers there, before Short passed away suddenly in June of 1987. After, as Marjorie put it, “sitting at home for seven years”, she started going to Lake Robbins to dances with her friend, Vi Lowmiller. It was at Lake Robbins that she met Gene Kurth, became good friends, and dance partners. They got engaged at Christmas time 1996 and were married April 1, 1997 in Bullhead City, Arizona. They lived in Grand Junction until moving to Jefferson in 1999. They enjoyed many trips together, including one to Hawaii. Gene suffered a stroke and passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in February 2006. Marjorie was a member of Central Christian Church, where she had been a Deacon, and also helped the CWF serve many meals. She was a former member of Order of Eastern Star Chapter 107. She was also a member of the “Marge” Coffee Club. Marjorie was an avid baseball fan, since childhood. She never missed one of her brother’s games. She enjoyed watching her favored Cubbies play on TV. She and Short were members of Greene County Campers. Her wit and her keen sense of humor were traits for which she was well-known, even in her last days. Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; and infant brother; her bother James D. Parr; both of her husbands; and her stepson, Paul Kurth. Survivors include her sister-in-law, Herma Parr of Jefferson; stepson, Jim Kurth and his wife Joyce and their two sons, Ben and Tim, all of Jefferson; stepdaughter, Jana Kurth and her two sons, Kyle and Aaron of Mankato, MN; nieces: Joan St. Clair of Scranton and family; and Nancy Gettler and her husband Steve of Mesa, AZ and family; and nephew Dean Parr and his wife Jeannie and family of Cedar Rapids; one aunt, Frieda Ether of Perry; many other relatives, friends, and many dancing friends.