Obituary: Marjorie Jean Prince

Mrs. Prince

Mrs. Prince

Marjorie Jean Prince, 89, died July 14, 2012 in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Marj was born May 29, 1923 in Jerome, Ariz. She was the daughter of Gilbert Lawrence Pitchford and Ola Gertrude Henry. She spent her first eight years in the small smelter town of Clemenceau, then in Prescott, Ariz. where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Richard (Dick) C. Prince. She was a young bride when Dick joined the Army Air Force. While he was flying missions over Europe, she lived with her Aunt Amelia Oldershaw in Berkeley, Calif. whose husband was also at war. The two tried to be brave for each other. Amelia told Marj, "There'll be no moaning and groaning and feeling sorry for ourselves."

Dick came home from the war after their first child, Cathie, was born. He attended UC Berkeley and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. Marj was busy with her growing brood. She had four more children over the course of 20 years.

Writing and reading were two of her passions. When Bechtel, Dick's employer, moved the family (7) to Bombay, India for two years in 1963, Marj wrote letters to Amelia telling her all about the family's adventures. When we returned to the United States, Amelia had the letters in good order, so Marj compiled the letters into a book for her family entitled, "The Bombay Story" or "The Unlikely Memsahib," a book we will always treasure. Marj continued to write throughout her life.

She and Dick traveled the world several times over with their many friends. They lived in Saudi Arabia for two years at the end of his career. In California, they lived in Orinda, Moraga, San Francisco, Pioneer and Sonoma. Prescott, Ariz. was their home for several years in the 1980s. Her last two years were spent in Santa Cruz, Calif. where she lived near her son Ron (former Prescott Fire Chief) and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Marj contributed photos, letters and a Pioneer Oral History of her mother-in-law, Grace Prince and Kitsy Bobo, to the Sharlot Hall Museum. Marj's mother, Ola Gertrude Henry Pitchford, Aunt Amilia Henry Oldershaw, and her grandmother, Anna Maria Henry are represented in the Sharlot Hall Territorial Women's Rose Garden. Marj was proud of her Prescott heritage.

Marj was a loving mother and grandmother, knitting blankets and caps for everyone. She planned dozens of family get-togethers. She was an expert hostess and was a beloved friend to many. She camped, backpacked, hiked, golfed and was completely at home in the outdoors. Marj enjoyed and was proud of her work at UC Berkeley at the Regional Oral History office in the 1970s.

Marj and Dick enjoyed 67 years of marriage until he passed away in 2009. Her family is comforted knowing they are together again.

Marj is survived by her five children, Cathie, Bill, Dick (Linda), Ron (Jane) and Caryn (Doug Bates); 11 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. Her final resting place will be the Sonoma Valley Veteran's Cemetery next to Dick.

The Neptune Society helped the family with arrangements. A private memorial service will take place in August. Family contact is Caryn Prince, 140 E. Thomson Ave. Sonoma, CA 95476.

Information provided by survivors.


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