Marjorie Lois Holcombe

Marge, as she was known to her family and friends, has gone home to be with her Lord Jesus, to reside in the place He has prepared for her.. Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 18 from 3:00-5:00 pm at Weerts Funeral Home. Celebration of life will be 1:00 pm Monday, August 19 at Ridgecrest Village, Davenport. Burial will be at The Rock Island Arsenal.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, Walter B. Holcombe, of Elizabeth, IL; her daughter, Elizabeth H. O’Toole (Thomas), also of Elizabeth, IL; her son, Robert T. Holcombe (Sarah), of Hampshire, IL; her grandson, James R. O’Toole (Kinal Patel), of Highland Park, IL; and her brother, Darrell Q. Brown (Carol) of Elkins Park, PA. She was preceded in death by her parents, J. Oscar & Eva (Platt) Brown; and her granddaughter, Colleen E. O’Toole.

Marge was a career nursing instructor, with the majority of her career specializing in Psychiatric Nursing Instruction. After graduating from Kansas University’s School of Nursing she interned at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, KA. Marge and Walt married in 1952, started a family, living and working primarily in OK. In the early 1960’s they moved to Independence, IA where she began her career as a nursing instructor at the Mental Health Institute, one of Iowa’s state mental hospitals. She had the opportunity to launch the newly structured two-year ADN Program (Associates Degree of Nursing) with co-director, Marge Bottoms, at Clinton Community College in the early 1970’s. She taught briefly at the University of Iowa, and then taught in several nursing programs in the Quad City area. Over her almost 40 year career, she helped to prepare countless students for careers in nursing. Some of the nurses she encountered in some of her hospital stays were nurses she had helped to train. After retirement, Marge became a full time, award winning Avon lady, and a devoted grandmother. She modeled discretion, kindness, generosity and perseverance to her family. She took time to listen and to offer sensible counsel. After heart bypass surgery, Marge moved into Ridgecrest Village in Davenport. She remained in the care of the Ridgecrest community until her death.

The daughter of a Methodist preacher and missionary parents, Marge was an active, long-time member of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Davenport. Living out Jesus’ calling to serve others, Marge was a caring and compassionate neighbor, a true servant of the community, and a devoted friend. She touched many lives and sought to leave her part of the world better than she found it. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, donations in Marge’s honor can be made to the local community organizations that she so passionately supported: “Hope At The Brick House”, 1431 N. Ripley St., Davenport, IA 52803; The Center at St. John’s Methodist Church, 109 East 14th Street, Davenport, IA 52803; or to the Ridgecrest Village Foundation, 4130 Northwest Blvd, Davenport, IA 52806.