Service Information
Memorial services will be held at Christ Church, 5655 N. Lake Drive, Whitefish Bay, on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 11 a.m.

Memorials
In loving memory of Madge, memorials may be made to: American Stroke Association/American Heart Association--Midwest Affiliate, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674 or Glenwood Mental Health, Inc., 150 Glenwood Lane, Birmingham, Alabama 35242-5700 (Glenwood is an agency serving children and adults with autism in Alabama)

Newspaper Notice
Marson, Madge Van Dyke (nee Carpenter), 84, of Lincolnshire, Illinois, died June 20, 2012, after a sudden illness. She was a very gentle, personable, and intellectually gifted woman who loved movies, theatre, and English literature, but most of all her family. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Madge was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 3, 1928, the first daughter and third child of Milton Carpenter and Madge Van Dyke Carpenter. The rambunctious behaviors of her two older brothers Charles and Norman led Madge at an early age to pray fervently for a baby sister: her efforts were rewarded a few years later with the arrival of sister Mary Thomasine. Madge graduated from Milwaukee Downer Seminary with honors in 1945 and from Wellesley College in 1949. She subsequently obtained a masters degree in speech and dramatics from the University of Wisconsin and set upon a teaching career, educating young women first at The Hockaday School in Texas, and later at Cranbrook School in Michigan. In 1952 she married John A. Marson, also from Milwaukee, and they moved to Jackson, Michigan, where she worked for the local radio station and wrote copy for shows and ads put on the air. With the arrival of sons Daniel (1953) and Phillip (1956), and later daughter Amanda (1964), Madge left the working world and turned her attention full time to motherhood. She and John moved back to Milwaukee and set about raising a family. In a different era, she would have had the opportunity to pursue both motherhood and a professional career; in the 1950s, such a choice was rarely available. Together with John, she taught her three children the importance of intellectual achievement, love of learning, and the value of hard work. To their credit, all three children graduated from college, married, and have found success in their respective fields. Madge was a woman who enjoyed socializing and having fun with others. She loved to engage in shared intellectual activities such as charades, board games, and crossword puzzles. From the time of high school on, she also was a great lover of the movies, and by the end of her life had a film library rivaled by few. Madge also had an unexpected sense of adventure, and was willing to undertake activities outside of her comfort zone. For example, without any prior experience, she and John joined a curling club in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and over time became very good curlers, leading one year to a championship trophy! In her later years Madge suffered multiple strokes which affected her language abilities and mobility. In spite of these challenges, her gentle, loving personality and intelligence continued to shine through and she was well liked and respected by residents and staff in the long term care facilities in which she resided. During much of this time she lived in Chicago, where her daughter Amanda and husband Richard also lived, and upon whom she greatly depended. The fine quality of life that Madge enjoyed in her final years was the result of the devoted loving care provided by Amanda and Richard. Madge was preceded in death by her husband John, her parents Milton and Madge Carpenter, her brother Charles Grant Carpenter and his wife Emmi, and her brother Norman Carpenter and his wife Barbara. She is survived by her sister Mary Thomasine Carpenter of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, daughter Amanda Marson Erspamer (Richard) of Prospect Heights, Illinois, sons Daniel Marson (Beverly) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Philip Marson (Robin), of Savannah, Georgia, and grandchildren Nicholas Marson of Statesboro, Georgia, Lauren Spacher of Kusel, Germany, Saul Spacher of Sumter, South Carolina, and Tyler Marson, Keith Marson, and Alice Marson of Birmingham, Alabama. Madge is also survived by her nieces Lisa Carpenter and Maggie Carpenter of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Annie Carpenter O’Brien (John) of St. Paul, Minnesota, Kim Carpenter Christenson (Peter) of Milwaukee, Betsy Carpenter Boedeker (Doug) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and nephews Charles Carpenter, Jr. (Susan) of Prescott, Wisconsin, Peter Carpenter (Ellen) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Jonathon Carpenter (Shea) of Bellingham, Washington. Memorial services will be held at Christ Church, 5655 N. Lake Drive, Whitefish Bay, on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 11 a.m. In loving memory of Madge, memorials may be made to: American Stroke Association/American Heart Association--Midwest Affiliate, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674 or Glenwood Mental Health, Inc., 150 Glenwood Lane, Birmingham, Alabama 35242-5700 (Glenwood is an agency serving children and adults with autism in Alabama)