Marjorie Whitney Smith

Marjorie was born on November 28, 1924, in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, and grew up in Takoma Park, Maryland, adjacent to Washington, D.C. She and her late older sister Mary were the daughters of Frank I. Whitney, a patent examiner, and Leora S. Whitney, a teacher. One of Marjorie’s favorite childhood memories was when her piano class was invited to the White House to play for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. This event took place in the Blue Room, which was decorated with red roses, and each member of the class was able to meet and shake hands with Mrs. Roosevelt, who was wearing a blue dress.

Marjorie graduated from Coolidge High School in 1943 and entered Duke University, from which she graduated in 1947 with a degree in Sociology.

After college Marjorie moved back to Washington, D.C., and started working as a librarian at the Library of Congress. Marjorie loved this job, which entitled her to a free lunch every day at the cafeteria in the Supreme Court building, just down the street. One night in the spring of 1948, she met the love of her life, Frank C. Smith, at a dance club at the Hotel 2400, and they were married on July 17, 1948, in D.C. Frank was working at the National Bureau of Standards, having graduated from Yale University in 1946 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Soon after their marriage, Marjorie switched careers to become a homemaker and over the next few years they had three sons: Stuart, Owen, and Frank. In 1956 the family moved to Dallas, Texas, when Frank started working for Chance Vought Aircraft Company. Marjorie and Frank both fell in love with Dallas and developed many lifelong friendships.

In 1974 Frank started his own engineering consulting firm and in 1983, with their sons now grown, he and Marjorie moved to Bellevue, Washington, to be closer to his client base. For the next 25 years they lived in the Inglebrook condominiums, again developing many close friendships.

In the 1990s Marjorie took a part-time job at the Trading Post, an antiques shop in Bellevue. With a passion for antiques and collectibles, she had a great time “running the store.”

Marjorie and Frank enjoyed travelling, seeing many places throughout the U.S.A. as well as some in Canada and Europe. Victoria, B.C., was a particular favorite of theirs.

Marjorie and Frank both retired in 2006, and in 2008 they moved to the Gardens at Town Square, a retirement community in downtown Bellevue. After her beloved husband passed away in March 2010, Marjorie continued to lead an active life at the Gardens until December 2015, when it became necessary for her to enter nursing care, first at Mission Healthcare in Bellevue and then at Martha & Mary in Poulsbo. Despite the challenges of these last six years, Marjorie maintained her warm and cheerful personality until the end.

Marjorie is survived by sons Stuart (Carol) of Poulsbo, Owen of Madison, Alabama, and Frank of Marietta, Ohio, as well as five grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral service was conducted by close friend Pastor Bob Jordan at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, Bellevue, on December 22, 2021, with interment following there.

Contributions in Marjorie’s honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.