Paige, Marion Elizabeth (Lincoln)

Marion Elizabeth (Lincoln) Paige, 71, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Memorial Service: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at King of Kings Lutheran Church, by Pastor Mark Halvorson.

Born in Paulsboro, N.J., on Oct. 31, 1940, daughter of Robert and Hattie Lincoln, Marion was the youngest of three girls. She was baptized at First Baptist Church Jericho in Deptford, N.J. Marion was a 1959 high school graduate of the Paulsboro School System. She completed her education in 1961 at Business Machine School in Philadelphia, where she received a certificate in computers and accounting.

Married and remarried, she was blessed with two daughters, Sheilah L. (McLean) Louis of Philadelphia and Lisa A. Buchanan (Jeffery) Gleason of Cedar Rapids; and a granddaughter, Jordan Elizabeth Louis.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Irene Rothmaller and Evelyn Hayes, both of Philadelphia; and three husbands, Gene McLean, Wilbert Buchanan and Sherman Paige.

Marion crossed the color line in 1961 she was the first African-American hired by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Agency at the young age of 21 years, proudly serving as a clerk typist, responsible for preparing and processing New Jersey state driver's licenses, registrations and titles. Marion worked for 10 years with Gulf Oil Corporation as section head of accounting in the Wilmington, Del., office, supporting herself and her two girls as a single parent. She continued to move up in her career when she worked 12 years for General Electric/RCA in both the Camden and Deptford offices in accounting and billing for the department head.

In 1989, Marion relocated to her beloved Florida, where she worked at the U.S. Department of the Internal Revenue Service as a lien officer until her retirement in 2005.

Marion was an active participant in her community; she volunteered at the Dillard High School for Performing Arts as a mentor and tutor to the students. She maintained her Florida state license in cosmetology, providing manicures to her friends, and she was the group leader for the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the multiple sclerosis Association until 2011. Born on Halloween, she never missed the opportunity to celebrate the fun of the night with family and friends.

Marion came to Cedar Rapids on March 25, 2012. She resided at Living Center West and with their help, Hospice of Mercy and her family, she was well cared for. She fought a courageous fight.

She became well known for her strength, pride, straight forwardness and kindness. She touched the hearts of everyone who got a chance to know her.

Marion Lincoln, as she was known by most, was a pioneer in life, an adventurist, with love of God and all his natural wonders. She loved her seafood and to travel and see all of God's wonders, yet she was always just a phone call away and available for all her family and friends in need of help, knowledge or understanding.

Marion's belief was you can if you think you can and “it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, but how earnestly you tried as long as you let God lead the way.” She loved to dance her bop and cha-cha, to laugh with friends, to visit the ocean or sit by the pool and dine on her seafood and to cook; she made the best lemon cake ever.

Marion attended and was a member of the Christian Life Center in Fort Lauderdale, where she had a warm church family and she loved listening to her favorite song,“Yield Not to Temptation.”

A memorial fund has been established by the family.

Published Sept. 23, 2012 in The Gazette