Marjorie Engle of Buford, Georgia, age 97, passed away December 15. Marge was born January 10, 1917, in rural northwest Ohio, the only child of Ethel Bullis Swartz and William Swartz. After graduating from Bloomdale High School in 1935, she attended Bowling Green State University and earned a BS in Education (music major, English minor) in 1939. She married Ralph 'Vern' Engle in July, 1939. Marge had a long teaching career. For 19 years she taught K-12 music. She then returned to Bowling Green State University, earned an MA in English, and taught English for an additional 15 years. She retired from public school teaching in 1975 and moved to Buford, Georgia in 1978. But retirement for Marge included giving private music lessons to as many as 20 students at a time (ages 6 to 70) from 1978 until August, 2014. Sacred music was always an important part of Marge's life. She directed church choirs in Ohio and Georgia for a total of 22 years. She was an active member of the Gwinnett County Music Teachers Association and was named Teacher of the Year by the GCMTA in 2003 and 2014. She was a member of the Buford Woman's Club and of Level Creek United Methodist Church in Suwanee, Georgia. Marge was preceded in death by her husband Vern and her grandson Carl Sautter. She is survived by her daughter Ellen Sautter and her granddaughter Carol Sautter.
Memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 20th at Level Creek United Methodist Church, 4844 Suwanee Dam Road, Suwanee, GA 30024, with Rev. Jane Brooks and Rev. Laurie Moeller officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, December 19th from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., and at the church on Saturday from 12:00 noon until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Level Creek United Methodist Church Choir Room Building Fund in memory of Marge Engle.
To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA, 770-932-1133.
