Paulson, Marjorie Rae Kroeger Flannery

Marjorie Rae Kroeger Flannery Paulson, 82, of 2115 First Ave. SE (Cottage Grove Place), Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died peacefully early Tuesday afternoon, July 27, 2010, after a short stay in the Health Center at Cottage Grove.

Marjorie was born in Clinton, Iowa on Feb. 29, 1928 to Raymond and Rose Kroeger. Raymond died in 1979 and Rose died in 1989. Marj spent her childhood in Maquoketa, Iowa where her father operated a feed and grain business and her mother taught school. She had one brother, Robert, who died in 2005. Marj completed high school in Maquoketa and then entered St. Luke's School of Nursing and graduated in the class of 1949. While she enjoyed her career in nursing and very much loved being a student, she took the most pleasure in teaching the student nurses at St. Luke's. Marj met and fell in love with Dr. Francis (Frank) Edward Flannery, a pediatrician in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The couple was married on December 29, 1951. They had two children, Barbara Flannery Clark (David) and David Flannery.

She was preceded in death by Frank in April of 1993 and her son, David, in 1996. She is reunited with them now in paradise. Marjorie's daughter, Barbara, and her family currently reside in Houston, Texas. Marjorie has two grandchildren, Colin Augustus Clark and Elizabeth Rae Clark.

Marj very much enjoyed formal learning which inspired her to go back to college while raising her children. She earned a degree in sociology from Coe College where she graduated with honors of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. Marj's community involvement in Cedar Rapids was extensive including, but not limited to, being a member of First Lutheran Church, the Junior League of Cedar Rapids, the Monday League, and the Cedar Rapids Literary Club. She was active in raising money for the Cedar Rapids Symphony and serving on the St. Luke's Hospital Auxiliary and various other women's groups.

A few years after her husband's death in 1993, Marj became reacquainted with Theodore (Ted) Paulson, whom she knew casually in the community. The two eventually married and felt blessed to have been able to love again after both losing their first spouse. They married on July 10, 1998 and just celebrated their 12-year anniversary. Ted and Marj moved to Cottage Grove Place this past year as a result of Marj's illness. They felt happy to be together in such a caring community.

Ted and Marj felt especially blessed to have been cared for by Julia Sexton, who has been more than a caregiver to Marj, but a true friend to both. Marj will be deeply missed by family and friends as she was known to be quite an elegant lady and a woman ahead of her time. She had a terrific sense of humor, a wonderful thirst for knowledge and a compassionate heart. Marj was even assisting the staff at Cottage Grove Place until early July when her illness took over. She was finally released of the confusion that comes with Alzheimer's disease. A memorial celebration of life will be held for Marj at Cottage Grove Place at noon on August 20. A light buffet lunch will be served.

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