SUN PRAIRIE - Marjorie Lynn Matthews passed away unexpectedly at home on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.
She was 72.

Marjorie was born in Paterson, N.J., on May 21, 1951. She grew up in an apartment building that had been built by her immigrant grandfather, with many other extended family members close at hand. As a child, she spent many summers at camp, and later graduated to being a camp counselor, a fondly remembered experience.

Marjorie moved to Madison during college in the 1960s, a time of raised political consciousness when students were protesting against the Vietnam War. Interested in social justice, she majored in sociology and later obtained her master’s degree in social work.

As a young wife and mother of two, her husband’s new job after a period of unemployment led to the family moving to Germany. There, Marjorie found a first of many international friendships over tea and English conversation. Later, back in Madison, Marjorie worked with foster children as a social worker. Committed to social justice, she participated in political and social activism throughout her life, as well as continued to welcome many more international friends, both as a volunteer ESL tutor and in her work as building manager at the La Follette School of Public Affairs of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was very active in the Racial, Equity and Justice Class at First United Methodist Church and worked on numerous justice issues while at First UMC.

In her free time, Marjorie was often heard singing, dancing, and playing the guitar, as well as baking muffins and scones and rhubarb crisps (in season). She was an active member of the English Country Dance and Madison Contradance community (“MAD Dancers”) where she had become the lead caller. She sang with many groups, including shape note singers (“Sacred Harp”), her church choir, and most famously, the Raging Grannies of Madison. Their songs rang with political advocacy and activism. As she often said of herself, “My head is 80% full of song lyrics.”

Marjorie is survived by her husband, Boris, her ex-husband, Peter, children Emily (Erik) and Bryan, and grandchildren Tyler and Saga.

“Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour” well expresses Marjorie’s active faith. Those words come from one of her favorite hymns, “God of Grace and God of Glory,” by Harry Emerson Fosdick.

Her memorial service will take place at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 203 Wisconsin Ave., in downtown Madison.

Gunderson East
Funeral and Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420

Marjorie L. Matthews

May 21, 1951 - October 07, 2023

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