Marjorie Lee Seagoe

Marjorie L. Seagoe, 86 passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford with her family by her side.

Marjorie Lee Swanson, the oldest child, was born on September 27, 1936, in Portland, Oregon to Ted and Nettie Swanson. Her parents moved the family to Merlin Oregon where her father Ted built the house they lived in and grew up with her younger siblings Patty and Jack Swanson.

Marjorie grew up in Merlin, where she attended Merlin school, graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1954 and attended Rogue Community College in Grants Pass. She met Everett Seagoe, and they were married on August 7, 1954, at her grandparents’ home on Abegg Rd in Merlin. Her parents, Ted and Nettie Swanson, gifted them some property, where they built their home and remained there for 60 years before moving into Grants Pass to be closer to family. Everett passed away in June of 2019 and they would have celebrated their 65th Anniversary in August.

To most everyone that knew her she went by Margie. Margie and Everett had four children, Bruce, Lisa, Lana and Brian and they were all raised in the same house and property, also known as living on Swanson Mountain.

Margie was a stay-at-home mom and enjoyed reading books, writing short stories, and developing crossword puzzles for publications, and crafting and crocheting many handmade items while she was raising her children.

As the children were growing up, her and Everett became very involved in their activities.

Margie and Everett were active in Little League for 10 years, coaching a girls’ team. They coached the All-Star girls’ teams for several of those years. They were also a 25-year member of the Merlin Grange and Josephine County Young Farmers.

For 50 years, she was a 4-H volunteer. Margie and Everett had their own club, Tuff-n-Tender, later NV Livestock, and raised sheep so 4-H kids could have access to affordable lambs for the fair. Margie was the sheep Superintendent at the JoCo fair for many years.

The Seagoe’s traveled extensively after retirement, usually with Margie’s parents and her sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Gary Shaffer. They visited 39 states and 16 countries, often taking classes at Elder Hostels.

Margie enjoyed sports of all kinds and especially OSU Beavers. She was an avid reader and was the owner of many, many books.

After Everett’s passing, she really enjoyed her feline companions that she adopted as kittens; Mickey and Minnie Cooper and enjoyed sharing with family their mischievous ventures.

Survivors include their children; Bruce Seagoe of Gold Beach, Oregon; Lisa Guthrie of Grants Pass; Lana Lowe and her husband James of Grants Pass, Brian Seagoe of Merlin and her sister Pat Shaffer and her husband Gary of Beaverton, Oregon. Eleven grandchildren, Andrea Stoe, Andrew and Jonathan Seagoe, Asha Park, Amber Al-Sarf, Curtis Brenton, Lianna Ballentine, Chad Lowe, Brian James, Justin and Jacqueline Seagoe; and six great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

She was preceded in death by her husband Everett, her infant son Andrew Allen, brother Jack Swanson, her sister in-law Sandra Swanson, daughter in-law Arlene Kalita and grandson Justin Seagoe.

Those wishing to make contributions in her memory, may make a donation to: Josephine County 4-H or Josephine County Library Foundation

The family would like to invite all that knew Margie to her celebration of life on Friday, March 24, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at Hull and Hull Funeral Home with a gathering of family and friends to follow at Taprock in the Evergreen room.