Marjorie L. Compton

Marjorie L. (Holly) Compton passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in the early hours of the morning, in the comfort of her home. She died quietly in her sleep with her faithful four-legged companion pup, Eff Marie, at her side. Marjorie’s health had been failing for some time but her mind was just as quick and alert as it had ever been. She wanted to age gracefully and stay in her home so as to be with Eff Marie. In the months prior her passing, with the daily traffic of hospice care workers and companion caregivers, Marjorie and her dog maintained a large semblance of peace and normalcy in their daily lives. When Marjorie went home to be with the Lord, that journey was a quick overnight trip. We should all be as blessed!

Marjorie was born a year after the peak of the Great Depression on October 20, 1934 to her Dad Oscar Lee Holly and Mother Catherine (Wirth) Holly. She had an older brother by eight years in Dallas Holly and a sister two years older in Virginia (Head) Holly. Marjorie was an Arizona native. Her Dad owned a small dairy in Scottsdale. Marjorie was too young for school when her sister Virginia went to first grade but because she cried when Virginia went into the building, the school principal said Marjorie could go for the day into that one room school with her sister and that he was convinced she’d be tired of it all before day’s end. Marjorie laughed about this event into her adulthood as the teacher rocked Marjorie in her arms while teaching class, and Marjorie loved it! Before she knew it, she was attending school TWO YEARS before all the other kids her age. The effects, however, were realized later as Marjorie was always smaller and younger than her classmates, graduating high school at 16 rather than the usual 18 year old graduation age for most kids. Her big sister Virginia stuck up for Marjorie whenever needed, and Marjorie was quite popular. She was voted as “Salad Bowl Princess” by her classmates and rode in the float with the other high school princesses in the annual Salad Bowl (Football) Parade. She was Drum Majorette with the school band and was also voted Homecoming Queen in her senior year. Marjorie said she always enjoyed her school years and education and her friends and classmates.

She said college was not for her after attending one semester. Marjorie always had an interest in medicine, and often talked about a little black toy doctor’s bag she received as a child. She told the story of how she ran for her doctor’s bag when a car stalled in front of her home one day; as she thought someone in the car may need medical attention! It was unusual for women to study medicine to become doctors back in the 1950’s. She thought about going to nursing school but her desire to study nursing also fell through as, just being 16 out of high school, she’d have to wait two years for nursing school to begin when she turned 18. She said it was hard enough to enroll in college at 16, let alone get serious about nursing. So Marjorie looked at making a living rather than attending college. She got her first job as receptionist for Dr. Hausman in his optometrist office in downtown Phoenix. Although just a young lady, she did get to assist in some of the preparations for the eye exams and type up medical results of same. So on some level; she did get a little hands-on experience in medical work! Marjorie left the optometrist’s office after a year for a higher paying job and went to work at a farming and produce distributor on the west side of Phoenix, closer to home. During this time, Marjorie had been dating and later married Sam Stillion. She had her first son, Stephen Stillion in 1952, with Sam. But the pressures of young parenthood resulted in subsequent divorce. Marjorie later met and married Bill Dees, who became father to Marjorie’s second son, Mark Dees Holly. Marjorie said there was a lot of strife and upheaval during that second marriage; which also ended in divorce. After a short re-marriage (and second divorce) to Sam Stillion, Marjorie and her two boys moved back in with her parents. Life was hard although she had the safety net of her parents, who loved their grandchildren.

During those years, Marjorie worked hard to support herself and her children. She landed a job with the Social Security Administration on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix in 1966 working to enroll elderly Arizonans on Medicare as part of the new Medicare and Medicaid Act of 1965. Marjorie really enjoyed this important job but after a year it became less fun driving from Buckeye to Phoenix and back twice a day (before I-10!) Always the go-getter, Marjorie discovered there were job opportunities in the federal government closer to home, particularly at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. She later landed a job at LAFB, as second secretary to the Air Base Commander in the very important Air Education and Training Command Program which trained pilots from all over the country in the F-15’s and even countries from around the world; most notably West Germany in the F-104’s. Marjorie also met and married James (Jim) Compton during this time. While Jim was working to grow his fertilizer company, Fertizona, Marjorie supported the family while any Fertizona money went back into Fertizona. So in effect, Jim and Marjorie built that company together. As the company did finally take off and succeed, Marjorie decided that her working days were through, and retired into home life from then on.

For a time thereon, Marjorie loved to golf and played it actively for many years. She was conservative in nature and very patriotic. She said as a child of the “Greatest Generation” living through the Depression and World War II, one could not help but be patriotic with all of the sacrifice and hardship. She enjoyed her later “retirement” years away from the Valley; summering in either Flagstaff or later in San Diego. Marjorie and Jim always had dogs - most notably Labradors; and shared their lives with them. Since Marjorie was never blessed with grandchildren, the dogs were like kids to her. Her last dog, Eff Marie, is a Labradoodle.

Marjorie loved her two sons very much. It was truly a shame that both Stephen and Mark died before her (1999 and 2018, respectively). It is something that she never really quite got over; as she said many times. She did have a strong belief in God; and she knew one day she’d be reunited with her boys, as well as with her parents and siblings and yes, even her dogs!

Marjorie is survived by her son-in-law, Nick Buta. She is also survived by three nephews, two nieces, several cousins and second cousins, and several good friends. Marjorie valued those wonderful friendships with several good folks she met and loved along the way. Marjorie said many times over the past 25 or so years that she loved life and she loved the people God brought into her life. She said she’d never understand why certain things happened the way they did, but she wouldn’t live her life in bitterness and regret. She was a true inspiration to those of us who knew and loved her. We can all take joy and comfort that Marjorie is enjoying her Homecoming with all of her special loved ones (even the dogs!)in Heaven.

At this point in time, Marjorie did not wish to have a ceremony or celebration. No flowers please. Donations may be made in her memory to the nation’s largest not-for-profit hospice; Arizona’s own: Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St, Phoenix, Az, 85014.