Marjorie L. Isaak

Mrs. Marjorie L. Isaak, 96, of Jefferson City, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 6, 2019 at Capital Region Medical Center. She was born on August 4, 1923 in Wardsville, a daughter of James F. and Ida M. (Koffkey) Cain. She was married on February 23, 1946 in Jefferson City to Benjamin Isaak. He preceded her in death. Marjorie was a 1941 graduate of New Bloomfield High School. She was employed with the Division of Employment Security until retiring in 1992. She was a member of the First Baptist Church. Marjorie (Margie) was raised on a farm outside of New Bloomfield. She was the middle child of seven and it was the era of the Great Depression. She learned hard work, the meaning of frugality, but also how to have fun, being a part of a large family with a father who loved to tell stories and play the fiddle. It was from him she learned to dance, a lifelong interest. She was at home outdoors and would much rather tend the garden than do inside chores. It was because of dancing she met Benjamin (Ben) from Fort Leonard Wood on the night before Pearl Harbor was bombed. She went to a dance in Jefferson City with her older brother, Ed. Ben, a farm boy from North Dakota was immediately smitten but it would be four years and many letters before the knot was tied. Ben was shipped out to Southeast Asia not long after they met. Margie and Ben created a life in Jefferson City, not far from her family, raising three daughters. The love of travel came slowly but as the daughters moved from the nest to interesting places (New York City, Los Angeles, Washington state) Ben and Margie would travel to visit. Following his death in 1972, she and her youngest daughter and two sisters took her first European trip. There would be more. Her oldest daughter lived in England twice and Margie was thrilled to spend more time there. She ventured with them to Egypt in 1993, touring the Pyramids and riding a camel. Margie and her sisters also enjoyed Caribbean cruises and she traveled with her daughters and their families to a variety of places in the U.S. After retiring in 1992, Margie and her sisters found "shopping" and there weren't too many sales they did not like. Her love of clothes, particularly handbags and shoes, filled her closets. Like many her age, she discovered Precious Moments and Dickens Villages. She could have opened a gift shop with her collection. Despite cancer in her late 60's Margie kept active. She even returned to work following treatment. She enjoyed her friends and dances at the local VFW and trips to area gambling casinos. She always set her limit as to how much she was willing to lose and kept to it. Margie lived a full and rich life and will be missed by her family and friends. Survivors include her daughters, Charlotte Dean (Kenneth) of Columbia, Brenda Irwin (Richard) of Columbia, and Janice King (Duane) of Malibu, Calif.; siblings, Curtis "Bo" Cain (JoAnn) of Ashland and Geneva Pearre of Jefferson City; six grandchildren, Justin Dean, Andrea Spain (Chris), Megan Jarrett (Justin), Gabe Schrimpf (Wanda), Dylan Irwin (Sarah) and Lindy Irwin; and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her siblings, Edward Cain, Nellie Nichols, Mildred (Mitch) Lawson and James "Bus" Cain. Visitation will be held at Freeman Mortuary from 10:30 until 11:30 a.m., Friday, September 13, 2019. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:30 a.m. Friday in the Freeman Chapel with the Reverend Dr. Doyle Sager officiating. Graveside services will follow at Hawthorn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials will be given to Ellis Fischel Cancer Center-Lymphedema Support, in memory of Marjorie Isaak, Office of Advancement. 1 Hospital Dr. DC066.00, Columbia, MO 65212. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Freeman Mortuary. www.freemanmortuary.com