Marjorie C. Pharr

Marjorie Carlson Pharr died on Tuesday, September 21st of complications from a stroke suffered on the morning of September 18th. She was 88 years old and had lived at Cecil, Alabama for 16 years prior to moving to Montgomery in 1961. She was a resident of Montgomery until her death. Below her photograph at her 50th high school reunion at Westport High School in Kansas City, Missouri, the caption read that Marjorie Carlson had become a "you all" gal down in Montgomery, Alabama. It could also have said that she was an avid University of Alabama football fan. She watched every game possible, without sound during critical moments, and knew all the players by name. But football was only one of her interests. She was well read, computer literate, interested in politics and an excellent bridge player, playing two or three times a week as well as playing on line with others around the world. Her interest in travel took her to all corners of the earth, visiting some distant cities several times. One of the last in her circle of friends to continue driving, she was cheerfully and frequently the "designated driver" and conscientiously visited old friends and maintained many long-lasting relationships. Three months shy of her 89th birthday and 2 days before her death, Marjorie was investing in new tires for her car. As the old song from "Oklahoma" exclaimed, "Everything's up to date in Kansas City!" , everything was also always up to date with Marjorie Pharr. Marjorie was born on December 12th, 1921 to Charles Lennart and Betty Carlson in Kansas City, MO. Her mother immigrated to the United States from Sweden at the age of 10 and her father immigrated from Finland as a teenager. Marjorie was always very proud of her Scandinavian heritage. She met and married Sam Pharr, Jr., of Cecil, Alabama during World War II and moved to Cecil in 1945, by then with a baby girl. She was a charter member of Woodland Methodist Church in Cecil (now Pike Road) and maintained her interest in that community after the 196l death of her husband, Sam, until her own death. Marjorie worked for years in the Alabama State House of Representatives in the State Capitol Building. She was for years a good tennis player, a member of the Ionian Society, the Jasmine Garden Club, and the Montgomery Country Club. In 2006 she moved her membership from Woodland Methodist Church to the First United Methodist Church of Montgomery. Marjorie is survived by her daughter, Diana Collier and son-in-law, Rucker Collier of Murfreesboro, Tn and by her son, Howard Pharr III and daughter-in-law, Helen Pharr, of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also survived by two granddaughters, Marjorie Carlson Collier of Atlanta and Eleanor Susan Pawlowski of Murfreesboro, two great grandchildren, Collier and Sloane Pawlowski of Murfreesboro, sister, Edla Carlson Shelton of Atlanta and sister Bernice Carlson Anderson, of Kansas City, MO. and beloved nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery at 10 A.M. Monday, September 27. Visitation with the family will be at 11 A.M. adjacent to the chapel of First United Methodist Church of Montgomery followed by a memorial service in the chapel at noon. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Montgomery. Arrangements under the direction of Leak Memory Chapel, Montgomery, AL.