Marguerite Lever

Marguerite was born December 20, 1920 at Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA to George and Hannah Stone. As a young girl, her family moved to Barre, VT. Her birth name was Ingrid Margareta. When she was in the first grade her school teacher began calling her Marguerite and that became the name she used for the remainder of her life. She spoke fondly of her childhood, particularly of her dear mother, Hannah Augusta, who was “such a lady” and worked cleaning houses and selling eggs to help make ends meet.

Marguerite stayed very close to her sister and best friend Ina throughout their lives.

Marguerite worked at Montgomery Ward as a teenager and graduated from Spalding High School in Barre Vermont in 1938. Following high school, she took the Greyhound bus and moved across the country to California with her cousin Shirley to be near her only brother George Edler Stone. It was in California where she met her future husband, Robert W. Lever.

On May 10th, 1941, she and Robert drove in a borrowed 1938 Ford Coupe to Yuma, Arizona where the sweethearts were married. Marguerite wore a Brooks Brothers robin egg blue dress. During the next sixteen years, she was a military wife, often raising their first six children alone while her husband was overseas. Her children remember many outings with their mother which would often start with, “When you get all your jobs done, we can go to the beach.” She instilled a great love of the ocean in her children.

Marguerite and Robert moved their family to Washington State in 1957 to live closer to her sister Ina, it was there that they were blessed with four more children. They remained married for 64 years until Robert’s death in 2005. She was a member of the Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church (Woodinville) and her childhood faith remained very dear to her. She always loved being with her family and friends. She often said, “you aren’t leaving yet are you? You just got here!”

Marguerite is survived by her children Sheryl (Scott) Haeger of Snohomish, WA, Kristine Lever of Lake Stevens, WA, Douglas (Arja) Lever of Monroe, WA, Peter (Karen) Lever of Clatskanie, OR, Roberta (Harley) Simonson of Snohomish, WA, David Lever of John Day, OR, Barbara Lever of St. Louis Park, MN, James (Karen) Lever of Snohomish, WA, Timothy Lever of Snohomish, WA and Jonathan (Alice) Lever of Federal Way, WA. Her sister Alice Coletti of Troy, New York. Also 47 grandchildren, 160 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert W. Lever, her parents George and Hannah Stone, her brother George Edler Stone, her sisters Ina Stewart and Helen Fellman and grandson Hans Lever.

She will forever be remembered for her genuine kindness and loving spirit. She was always so thankful for what she was given, and lovingly reminded others to be thankful of God’s gifts, and the preciousness of faith. Any charitable donations may be made to Providence Hospice Foundation of Snohomish County.

Arrangements under the direction of Bauer Funeral Chapel, Snohomish, WA.