Marjorie Monschke

Marjorie Ann Monschke was born June 11, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois and passed away June 3, 2015 in Yakima, WA. She graduated from Maine Township High School in 1940. She spent the busy years of WWII working full time, completing 2 years of night school at NW University, and one year of night classes at Moody Bible Institute. In 1942, when the U.S. entered the war, she attended Red Cross Nurse’s Aide evening classes and racked up several thousand hours of volunteer services, working at St. Luke’s Hospital evenings after work and weekends. The fall of 1945 brought a major change in her life, when she moved to Yakima with her friend Evelyn. She always said this was the best thing she had ever done. She worked for Valley Neon where she met Bernie Monschke. They were married in 1949 and farmed his acreage outside Zillah for 47 tears, and enjoyed it all. She always said she loved the farm and she loved the farmer. She came to the Roza when it was mostly dry blowing dust and sage, lived in a Young’s Lumber tenant house with no domestic water, and lived to see a comfortable, inviting home, with a large garden, big trees and green lawn, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. They had no children, but shortly after they married Bernie’s nieces, Connie and Gini West, came to live with them, so they were a family. Marge was actively involved in many things. She taught literary classes for YVCC at their Toppenish facility for several years and taped text books and children’s stories for the Washington School for the Blind. She was a founding member of the Federated Zillah Jr. Women’s Club, active in the American Baptist Women’s Ministries in her church, and on the state board. She was an avid gardener, a member of the Country Garden Club of Zillah and a twenty year veteran of Master Gardeners. She sang with Bel Canto for over 40 years, and with the Zillah Community Choir for 10 years. She worked for the Washington State Employment Security Department in Toppenish for 22 years and then for the Yakima Regional Library for 6 years. She traveled to Hawaii and twice to Europe with her sister, to Greece and Israel with friends, and on a singing tour to Australia and New Zealand with Bel Canto. She was a member of the Buena First Baptist Church for 65 years, taught Sunday School, directed the choir, and served as church clerk for 35 years. A few of her “favorite things” were cats and kittens, yellow roses, old furniture, especially rocking chairs, vacations to Cannon Beach and lamb burgers at the fair. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernie Monschke, her parents, Burton and Dorothy Cowen, her sister Phyllis Cowen and an infant brother. Left to miss her are nieces Connie (Jim) Jenson and Virginia West, brother Richard Cowen and wife Audrey, niece Linda Cowen Beale, many Monschke nieces and nephews, her best friend for 80 years, Evelyn Alexander, and foster daughters Michelle White and Angela Pena. She was very thankful for all who gave her so much love and help through the difficult times: Pastor Stan Shipley, Paul and Linda Allen, Pat and Fred Fischer, Mas Seto, Pat Carlisle, Wanda Quick, Annie Kelso, Fern Green, Carol Rose Muller, and Judy Schelert. At Marge’s request, there will be no formal memorial services. It is suggested that memorials be made to her church, Buena First Baptist, or to the Master Gardeners program in Yakima. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Marjorie Monschke, please visit our flower store.