Marjorie E. Shortall

She was the loving wife and mother to the late Joseph J. Shortall of Scituate and Kerry A. Youngstrom of Pembroke, respectively.

Born on July 12, 1931 to Paul L. and Marion I. (Wurhurst) Wylde in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Marjorie’s childhood centered around her birthplace as well as New Hartford, New York; Truro, Nova Scotia; and Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Marjorie excelled in all things academic. She began college at the age of 17, earning her Bachelor’s of Arts from the University of Maine Orono in 1952 followed by her Masters of Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in 1955, graduating with honors. She also served as Graduate Assistant to the Publicity Director at the Carolina Playmakers in the Department of Dramatic Arts at UNC.

Marjorie began her career writing advertising copy for Channel 7 WNAC-TV in Boston where she would meet her future husband Joseph. Upon marrying, the couple moved to Scituate where they would later welcome Kerry and reside together for 31 happy years. Following her husband’s passing in 1989, she reestablished her career working at Tufts Medical Center Dentistry in Boston followed by South Shore Medical Center in Hanover.

Marjorie possessed a life-long curiosity for all things learning, studying French, Shakespeare and history well into the later years of her life. She was an arts enthusiast, world traveler, writer, reporter, tap dancer, knitter, seamstress and mahjong and bridge player. Happiest spending time in her garden with her dogs, she also loved skiing in New Hampshire and Maine with family and socializing with her Red Hat Society friends.

She is survived by her loving family: Dianne P. O’Brien of South Weymouth, James F. Shortall of Hampton, New Hampshire, and Scott M. Youngstrom of Whitman, as well as her eight grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, two nieces and one grandniece.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, April 10 from 5 - 7PM at Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home at 382 First Parish Road, Scituate. A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 11 at 10AM at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at 465 First Parish Road, Scituate. Interment to follow at Groveland Cemetery, Mann Lot Road, Scituate.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Marjorie’s memory can be made to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scituate (https://www.saintlukesscituate.com/).