Marjorie Margaret “Marge” (Whaley) Carman was born March 1, 1933 to Guy H. and Laura E. (Elliott) Whaley at Pleasanton, Nebraska and left this life quietly in the early evening of March 2, 2020 at the Imperial Manor Nursing home in Imperial, Nebraska at the age of 87 and one day.
Her family moved to Kearney, Nebraska when Marge was three. One of her earliest memories was when she was four, she had pushed on an upstairs screen and fell out. Her father owned a café in Kearney south of the railroad tracks on Main Street and then bought the Owl Café by the depot on RR Street. At a young age she worked in the café until midnight, working for tips. She remembered the troop trains stopping and serving the soldiers hamburgers and cokes.
Marge graduated from Kearney High School and on May 8, 1951 married the love of her life, Marlin Leslie Carman in Kearney before he left for Korea. While he was in the service she worked at the cleaners and after Marlin’s return they lived on a farm east of Kearney and for a year on the Carman farm before moving into Kearney.
She remembered that their first married home had a wood stove, water pump and a separator in the kitchen. Marlin milked three cows and they sold cream and eggs for grocery money. To this union five children were born Douglas, Steven, Linda, Alan and Brian. The family moved to Payette, Idaho in 1959 where Marge’s parents were living and then to Imperial in March of 1966, where Marlin worked with his brother, Floyd in the land leveling business. Marge worked at Jack and Jill grocery store, Farmers and Merchants Bank and later for Dr. Schiefen filing insurance and Chase County Clinic medical coding until retirement.
Marge was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Ontario, Oregon on October 17, 1965 and was a member of the Lutheran Church. As her children were growing up and after Marlin’s death on March 1, 1972 Marge cared for her family. She was involved in their activities, one of which was leader for Alan’s Cub Scout pack. She enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren’s many events. Marge was a member and past president of the Eagles Auxiliary and a volunteer at the Imperial Community Center, she loved collecting carousel horses and sewing blankets for her family.
Preceding her in death are her parents, husband Marlin, son, Steven, one sister Dorothy Harris, brothers: Harry, Hobart “Hobe”, Edward, Emery “Tyke”, Franklin “Swede”, Dave, Bob “Buck” and an infant brother, Douglas Whaley.
Survivors include Douglas (Rabecca) Carman of Imperial, Linda (Jeff) Newell of Emmett, Idaho, Brian Carman of Imperial, Alan (Joni) Carman of Imperial, 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be 10:30 A.M. (MT), Saturday morning, March 7, 2020 at Zion Lutheran Church in Imperial with Pastor David Kahle officiating. A private family inurnment will take place in the Kearney Cemetery, Kearney, Nebraska at a later date.
Honorary escorts were Donna McNair, Jan Jaeger, Jan Widger, Lorna Kunnemann, Donita Pribbeno and Donna Winscott.
No viewing; cremation was chosen.
Memorials may be given to the Imperial Community Center or Lied Imperial Public Library.
Online condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
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