Marguerite Elizabeth Scholl

The year 1915 was a year of firsts: the first stop sign appeared in Detroit, Einstein published his theory of general relativity and Alexander Graham Bell announced his first transcontinental telephone call to his assistant, Thomas Watson. On December 7, 1915, Vern and Bessie Cushman welcomed their first and only child into the world, a daughter, Marguerite Elizabeth, a child upon whom they poured love and affection. From that foundation of love, Marguerite would grow up to become the best mother and grandmother anyone could ever ask for. She was born in Ensley Center, Michigan, by Sand Lake, but the family soon moved west to the lakeshore community of Muskegon. Her parents opened a restaurant downtown, and Marguerite started working at Cushman's All-American Restaurant when she was twelve years old. Marguerite attended Muskegon High School and graduated in 1933 with the Big Red's most famous alumnus, Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Potter on the television series M*A*S*H. After the United States entered World War II, Fred joined the Army and was sent to Georgia for basic training. While he was gone, Marguerite's father passed away unexpectedly from a blood clot and the family had to give up the restaurant. That same year, Fred returned to Muskegon to marry Marguerite on October 2, 1942. Fred immediately traveled to New York to be sent overseas, but the troop transport he was scheduled to board sank, and Fred's deployment was delayed. Mr. Hoesler of Hoesler's Department Store was planning a trip east for business and agreed to serve as chaperone for Marguerite. She spent six days with Fred, taking in the city and seeing the Rockettes. Marguerite worked as a secretary at the Continental Factory while Fred served as a mechanic in Germany, France, and Africa. Always frugal, she saved every allotment check from the military and during the two years Fred was gone, she collected $4900. One afternoon, Marguerite returned home to find that the military service star hanging in the window had been removed. Her mind whirling, she raced into the house to find Fred's duffle bag in the living room and several one hundred dollar bills strewn about! Fred had returned and brought $2000 in "mustering out" pay with him. Along with a $2000 loan from bachelor Uncle Harold Cushman, they were able to pay $8900 in cash for the first and only home they would ever own. Marguerite's mother lived with them and purchased carpeting and furnishings. When her children later questioned the choice of carpeting, Marguerite, always practical, said, "Can't complain! Grandma paid for it!" When Grandma died, they found $900 tucked in her bible - and the family quickly saw new carpeting in the house! The Scholl's were blessed with three daughters, Linda, Karen and Kathy. Marguerite was put on bed rest while pregnant with Karen and never returned to Continental after that. She was committed to caring for her family. She and Fred modeled a marriage of mutual love and respect. The girls never heard their parents fight. Marguerite wisely noted, "There are problems in every marriage, but you learn to bite your tongue." When Marguerite scolded the girls, she'd sometimes shake a ruler at them, but never used it. In fact, when Linda's kindergarten teacher sent her home with red knuckles because she was trying to keep Linda from using her left hand, Marguerite marched to school and made sure she never rapped another child with a ruler again! The family enjoyed being together, especially their annual two-week trek to "See the U.S.A." in their Chevrolet station wagon. To help manage Fred's diabetes, Marguerite fixed three meals a day on a propane stove in the back of the car. She also always held the map, leaving the girls to think she was quite the navigator. As adults, Marguerite joined Karen and a granddaughter on a road trip to Florida. When Karen asked Marguerite to read the map for her, Marguerite confessed that she didn't know how to read a map and that when they traveled as a family, she had only held the map in order to shade the girls from the sun. Sadly, Fred died on March 11, 1965. Marguerite earned $25 every two weeks as a crossing guard for the school and hurried home every day to make the girls a hot lunch. Some fondly remember the tomato soup, while others never wanted to see it again. Although she didn't bring home much money and invested the life insurance money from Fred's death, the girls never felt they lacked anything. A treat came once a month when they went out to eat at Dog-n-Suds. After Fred's death, Marguerite got her driver license so that sixteen-year-old Linda could have a licensed driver in the car as she learned to drive. On Marguerite's first lesson, she backed into the fence in the yard, leaving it in a shambles and caving in the car door. After Linda got her license, Marguerite never drove again and frequently walked more than five miles a day. She routinely walked downtown to pay her bills. In later years, she asked a daughter to help her pay a bill. When she went to get the bill out of the drawer, she found close to 500 envelopes saved because she'd never used them, but hated to throw them away! Marguerite's joy in life came from her children and grandchildren. She routinely baked for the girls and their families, always careful to call first before walking them over - unless there were too many, in which case, a call came to say, "You better come and pick them up." She never missed school events and activities. The Muskegon Chronicle mentioned her in a story about how she walked over a mile in the "wicked" winter cold to see granddaughter, Stephanie, play in a flag football "Superbowl." Asked why she did it, she responded simply, "She asked me to come." With the exception of the girls' births, Marguerite did not visit a doctor until she broke her kneecap while walking at the age of eighty. Later, she suffered from a stroke and the onset of dementia sometimes made things difficult. Marguerite never remarried, declaring that the love of one good man was enough. She missed Fred profoundly, and the girls often overheard her talking to him. Sometimes she longed to leave this earth and be with him, but when her daughters reminded her of upcoming events like births or graduations, she expressed willingness to stay for the sake of the family. Everything in her life was aimed toward the good and welfare of her family. Because she was a dedicated mother and grandmother, she will be dearly missed and fondly remembered through the generations. Marguerite died Saturday, April 15, 2006. She is survived by three daughters, Linda (James) Chaney, Karen (Harold) Brown, and Kathy (Robert) Walker; nine grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren. Her husband and parents preceded her in death. Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 18, from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday, April 19, from noon until 1:00 p.m. at the Clock Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at the Clock Chapel with Chaplain Paula Carmichael officiating. Interment will be at Restlawn Cemetery. Please visit Marguerite's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com.