Marjorie D. Joseph

Marjorie “ Marge”  Joseph  a long time Alameda resident of the Fernside District  passed away on August 15, 2019 at Park Bridge Convalescent  Home where she had been living since 2012.  She was just 2 weeks shy of her 95th birthday

Marge was born Marjorie Dorothy Farenholz on September 2, 1924 to Eula and Emile Farenholz in St Louis, Missouri.  Growing up she was active in both the Lutheran Church and Job’s Daughters.    In 1937 at age 13 she met Ralph “Joe” Joseph and they began dating.  After their first date Joe told Marge’s Mom he was going to marry her.  When asked if Marge knew about this, Joe replied “No, but I will tell her when the time is right.”    They dated for the next three years but agreed to see other people when Joe joined the National Guard in 1940 and shipped out to Little Rock Arkansas; however they wrote letters and stayed in touch.     The story goes that she was sitting on another boy’s lap in the parlor when her Mom came in to tell her that Ralph was on the phone from San Francisco where he was stationed in the Army.   He said, “Hey why don’t you come out to California and let’s get married”.  She agreed and then had to go back in and tell her dejected date that he should probably go home because she was getting married!

She and Joe were married and had two sons Donald Harold (1944) and Geary William (1947). During World War II and following they lived in Alameda (twice), Stockton, St Louis, Cheyanne, Wyoming, Lodi and Calexico.   In 1958 they returned to Alameda and lived on Briggs before buying their final forever home on Yale Dr., four years later.    In 1962 they had their third son, Philip Albert.  

Professionally Marge had many jobs not the least of which was wife and homemaker.  She worked for many years for the Garfinkle Family at Clamp Swing Pricing Company on Blanding as a bookkeeper.  Her final job was Office Manager for Doctor Thomas Schmitz, the then Orthopedic Surgeon for the Golden State Warriors and owner of Courthouse Athletic Club on Telegraph in Oakland.   Not a big basketball fan herself she was non-plussed as the likes of Purvis Short, Bernard King and World B Free, sauntered through the office.

In civic work she was always active in PTA when her children were in school, and at First Presbyterian Church on Santa Clara in town where she and Joe served as both Elders and Deacons as well as many other committees and ministries. 

Following her Jobs Daughters upbringing she was active in Eastern Star and the DeMolay Mother Club.  She was also a member of the Alameda Adelphian Club, Prather Memorial Home Guild and a loyal member of the W.E.T.S. program which provides low impact water exercises for Seniors. 

Marge was preceded in death by her Father Emile in 1936, her Mother Eula and Stepfather    Jack Anderson in 1961, her older sister Pauline Hall in 1974, her husband Ralph in 2002 and her eldest son Donald in 2013.

She is survived by her son Geary and his daughter Christina Marie, and from her son Donald, grandson Stephen Donald Joseph, his wife Julie and their children Andrew Stewart, Madison Mae, and Owen Patrick;   Granddaughter Allison Marie and her sons Alexander Joseph and Patrick James as well as daughter Sophie Marjorie; Grandson Geary Martin Joseph and Wife Amy and their children Ashley Rae, Bradley Dean and Brodie Glen.  Great-Great Grandchildren Alexandria Ann Marie, Lucas James and Benjamin Joseph

Marge was interred September 6, 2019 at Olivet Memorial Park in Colma.  Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service on Saturday September 21, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Greer Family Mortuary and Cremation Services, 2694 Blanding Ave., Alameda.  Condolences may be made to the family at www.greermortuary.com

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