FALMOUTH – Marjorie P. Williams, 97, of Foreside Road (formerly South Portland) passed away on Jan. 22, 2023, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. 

She was born on Jan. 26, 1925, daughter of Edward and Mary (Finley) Phillips in Portland, Maine. Marjorie grew up in Portland, graduated from Deering High School in 1943 and attended Westbrook Junior College. She went to elementary school to college all on the same street. During this time, she was an avid horseback rider at T-Ledge in South Portland. She loved to ski and got her family into skiing. She also loved flying with her brother Edward, who was an Army Air Corps pilot. He would “borrow” a plane and they would fly out over Portland Harbor and see hundreds of ships as they prepared to leave for England.

She said she could see the large convoys and escorts as they prepared to make the perilous trip across the North Atlantic in 1943, before Edward left for England. Marjorie met her future husband, Raymond F. Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on a blind date at a USO dance in Portland. It was an exciting time in Portland with USO dances along the waterfront and out at Fort Gorges. Ray was stationed as port security in the U.S. Navy Reserve and would later volunteer for a unit being formed in China known as S.A.C.O. Ray left in 1943 for OSS training in Virginia and ultimately China. When he returned, they married on Aug. 16, 1947.

They moved to Manchester, N.H., for a short period of time and Marjorie was involved in the volunteer organization Beta Sigma Phi. Upon returning to the Portland area she became President of the Portland chapter. Marjorie felt it was important to give back to the community and was an avid volunteer at the local schools and church. She worked for many years in an administrative role for Portland area businesses. In her retirement years, she worked part-time at the Carriage Lantern in South Portland and later at the Candle Shack at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth. Marjorie’s smile lit up a room and had the wonderful gift of connecting with people. She had a great sense of humor, full of life, positive attitude, and perseverance. She had fond memories getting together with family and friends skiing in the winter and Sebago Lake in the summer. In her spare time, she loved swimming at the South Portland pool, playing bridge with her bridge club, knitting, reading and spending time with family and friends. She also enjoyed attending the grandchildren’s sporting and school events. 

Marjorie was predeceased by her husband, Raymond, her son-in-law Gary W. Taylor, grandson, Nathan M. Taylor, her brother Edward F. Phillips and wife Carolyn, sister-in-law Dorothy W. Montone and husband James. She is survived by her four children, John R. Williams and wife Marty of Southwest Harbor, Carol W. Taylor of Windham, Kathy W. Ryan and husband James of Scarborough and Lisa W. Lagios and husband Eric of South Portland. She is also survived by her grandsons: Jason Ryan, Justin Ryan and wife Cheryl, Nicholas Lagios and granddaughters: Jennifer Fournier and husband Jeff, Daron McGowen and husband Mike, Kimberly Tardif and husband Matthew, Heidi Fowler and husband Nathan, Kate Rivet and husband Joshua. Marjorie is also blessed with great grandchildren; Meaghan, Alex and Seth Fournier, Allie and Macie Tardif, Lily and Charlotte Fowler and Brayden and Adrianna Ryan. Also leaves behind nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

We would like to extend our sincere thank you to the staff at Falmouth by the Sea/Foreside Harbor for the care, compassion and friendship they gave our mom. Also special thanks to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for the compassion and care they gave us and our mother in her final days.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 25, from 3-7 p.m., at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Prayers will be recited at the Funeral Home on Marjorie’s 98th birthday, Thursday, January 26, at 9:15 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., at Holy Cross Church, 124 Cottage Road, South Portland. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Broadway, South Portland. To view Marjorie’s memorial page, or to share online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Marjorie’s memory may be made to the American Red Cross, Southern Maine Chapter,

2401 Congress Street,

Portland, ME 04102