Marjorie L. Zerkel passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 9 at Carroll Lutheran Village Health Care Center after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born August 24, 1925 in Concord, North Carolina, Marjorie was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Lawrence Calvin Little and Katherine McKenzie Little.
She was a graduate of Westminster High School and Western Maryland College, majoring in voice and sociology. Marjorie was a long-time member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, where she served in numerous capacities including two terms as President of the Congregation, served on numerous pastoral search committees, was an active leader in the Stephen Ministry program, and sang in the Chancel Choir for over fifty years. Her first husband, Oliver K. Spangler, was the church organist for over forty years prior to his death in 1984 and was also a Professor of Music at Western Maryland College, where he and Marjorie met and were wed. She married Bernie in August 1987. He was a conference minister in The Catoctin Association.
Marjorie was an active participant in the Catoctin Association of the United Church of Christ and served a number of terms on the Church and Ministry Commission as well as being a member of the Central Atlantic Conference Board of Directors.
Marjorie loved to travel and along with Oliver formed a St. Paul’s travel group. They went to many places including Canadian Rockies, Maritime Canada, England, Ireland, Greece, France, Scandinavia and others. She also hiked in the Himalayas in Nepal in her 60’s. She enjoyed summer trips to the beach with children and grandchildren.
She was an active member of the Women’s Club of Westminster, serving as President of both the Junior Women’s Club and the Women’s Club of Westminster and assisted in the planning and development of the Belle Grove Square Park during her tenure.
For 38 years Marjorie held a part-time position in a classified assignment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as being employed full-time as a Home Economics teacher at Sykesville High School for 6 years and a term as Registrar at Western Maryland College.
Marjorie was predeceased by her first husband, Oliver, and her second husband, Bernie Zerkel, and her sisters Katherine L. Taylor, Laurene Little and Betty Morey and is survived by her daughters and their husbands: Sharon and Tom Templeton of Westminster, Barbara and Rick Thren of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, four grandchildren, Jennifer Blake, Sarah Long, Christopher Thren and Gregory Thren, nine great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, July 30, 2017 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 17 Bond Street, Westminster, with a light supper to follow the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Sunday. Private burial will be in Westminster Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 17 Bond Street, Westminster, MD 21157, ATTN: Organ Restoration Fund.
On-line condolences may be made to the family at www.myersdurborawfh.com. The family is requesting written remembrances, anecdotes, or other sharing about Marjorie, which will be shared during the service.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the MYERS-DURBORAW FUNERAL HOME in Westminster.