Margaret Thornburg

Margaret Thornburg was born in Mankato, MN on September 25, 1915. Her family came to California in 1927 when she was 12 years old. She was a San Diego resident for the next 85 years until her death at the age of 97.

Marge was a member of San Diego High School's Class of 1933. She attended one year of commercial college before deciding secretarial work was not for her. She went on to work, first, as a theater cashier, then a drug store clerk, a contractor's office assistant, and eventually as a child care professional and house/pet sitter.

Volunteerism was important in Marge's life. At 15 she was a messenger at the 1930 World Exposition in Balboa Park. She volunteered for over 10 years at the Nazareth House retirement facility visiting, reading and writing letters, and performing various errands for a number of seniors living there. She "retired" at age 95 from these activities.

Marge was an avid sports fan. She enjoyed college and NFL football, major league baseball, Grand Slam tennis and all the major golf tournaments. She had a special place in her heart for dogs and horses and looked forward to the Westminster dog show and the Triple Crown of horse racing each year.

Her quick wit and wry sense of humor, generosity and inner strength were well known to family and friends and will be missed. Marge was preceded in death by her parents, Henry L. and Elizabeth C. Ulmen; a daughter, Mary Beth Thornburg; a brother, Gerald Ulmen; and by two sisters, Trudie Karnes and Dodie Schlehuber. Marge is survived by a daughter, Jane Marie Henderson; her son-in-law J. Bruce Henderson; a sister, Marie Cheatham; four nieces, Linda Schlehuber and Kathy Schlehuber, Patricia Karnes, and Virginia Northcutt; by two nephews, Robert Lein, Kendall Wild; as well as by grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Memorial Service will be Friday, November 2, 2012, at 11am at Goodbody Mortuary