Marjorie (Margie) Louise (James) Munsell Forsythe of Hermiston died on Nov. 9, 2020 at Brookdale Torbett in Richland, Wash. at the age of 87.
Margie was born on Jan. 23, 1933 in Ivy, Ark. to John and Annie Newton James during the Great Depression.
To find work, her parents migrated with their six children to the Okanogan Valley in Washington state to pick apples in the orchards. She attended Omak High School in Omak, Wash. for one year. At the age of 16, she married Lawrence Piatt and became a homemaker. In 1951, she moved to Oregon with her growing family.
In 1966, Margie began to work at Salem General Hospital in Salem, where she was trained by nurses to take care of patients on the surgical floor. She loved her job and believed that this was her true calling.
In 1974, she moved to Hermiston with her second husband, Stephen Munsell. In Hermiston, she worked at the Chuckwagon Cafe for her brother-in-law and sister, Duane and Dorothy (James) Beason, Lamb Weston and Simplot.
Margie especially enjoyed singing and square dancing. Her favorite song to sing was “You Are My Sunshine.” She also enjoyed watching sports games on television, notably football.
Margie is survived by her daughter, Sharon Piatt; three sons and their spouses, Ronald (Mary Jo) Piatt, Robert (Carolyn) Piatt and Gregory (Chanthoeun) Piatt; eight grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; two sisters, M. Evelyn (James) Jacquish and G. Bonnette (James) Carey.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, Stephen C. Munsell and Richard D. Forsythe; parents, John and Annie (Newton) James; and three siblings, Catheline G. (James) Hardin, Dorothy E. (James) Beason and Harold E. James.
Per her request, there will be no memorial service.
Contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association will be appreciated.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
