Marjorie Viola Thomason, 90, a longtime Quincy resident passed away on Thursday, July 10, 2014. She was born July 14, 1923 as the second daughter to her parents, Barbarite Baca and John Longwell in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Marjorie along with her sister Dorothy was raised in the mountain logging camps where her father ran a general store based in a train car that traded with the Native American tribes in the area. As the Great Depression hit her family moved closer to relatives in Alamogordo where she graduated from high school around 1941. She would always feel a strong pride in the heritage of her mother's large Catholic family, whose ancestors immigrated from Spain to become some of the first settlers in New Mexico. Incredibly in the last few years Marjorie relearned the Spanish she spoke as a girl and could instantly launch into speaking fluent Spanish with caretakers at the Cambridge or at restaurants in the community. Marjorie was a bright young woman who completed her nursing degree from the Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in El Paso, Texas. During her time working as a nurse she met and fell in love with a Texan man, Farrell Thomason. They were married in May of 1944 and enjoyed fifty-three years of marriage together before he passed in 1997. They homesteaded in the Coachella Valley in Southern California and also resided in Phoenix, AZ.
Marjorie and Farrell drove up to George from Phoenix, AZ in 1959 with their children, following the award of two parcels of land in a Veteran's land drawing of the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project. Prior to her passing, Marjorie was one of the few pioneers left from the George/Beverley settlement. During her time in the Quincy Valley she continued her profession as a nurse, working for Dr. Trantow and Dr. Stansfield at the Quincy Hospital where she was very dedicated and highly-respected. Marjorie and Farrell were blessed with five children, Paula Thomason (who preceded her in death in 2011), Dorothy Redmann (husband Klaus Redmann) of Richland, WA, Allan Thomason (wife Tracy Thomason) of Sumner, WA, Gary Thomason (who preceded her in death in 1993) and John Thomason of George, WA. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kalle Fletcher, Greta Mahalko, Ingrid Varholdt, Dr. Veronika Brooks, Luke Redmann, Troy Redmann, Alex Thomason, Bailey Thomason, Twyla Petersen and great-granddaughters Emma and Elliot Fletcher.
Marjorie was active in her church, St. Pius X Catholic Church, and was known for her deep unwavering belief of God's hand in her life and her support of the Hispanic community. Her sense of humor and positivity will be missed.
Viewing will be held at Scharbach's Columbia Funeral Chapel in Quincy, on Tuesday, July 15th from 4 PM – 5 PM .
Rosary will be recited at 6 PM at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Quincy on Tuesday, July 15th at 6pm followed by a Potluck BBQ at John Thomason's farm in George.
Funeral mass will be celebrated at 2 PM on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Quincy, concluding services will follow in the Quincy Valley Cemetery.
Memorial donations in honor of Marge may be sent to The Cambridge 301 H Street, Quincy, WA or to
St. Pius X P. O. Box 308, Quincy, WA 98848.
Please leave a memory for the family or sign their online guest book at www.scharbachs.com.
Scharbach’s Columbia Funeral Chapel, Quincy, is assisting the family with arrangements.

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