Obituary of Marjorie W. Dunaway

Marjorie W. "Marge" Dunaway, 97, of State College, died Saturday, August 25, 2018, at Keystone House, Wyndmoor, PA.

Born October 21, 1920, in Presque Isle, ME, she was the daughter of the late Carl Alfred and Harriet Scribner Wieck. On May 29, 1948, she married Wayland F. Dunaway, III, who preceded her in death on November 20, 2002.

She is survived by her son, Thomas W. Dunaway and his wife, Maria, of Harrisburg; daughter, Carol D. Irwin and her husband, Rev. Joseph Irwin, of Flourtown; two grandchildren, Peter Irwin and his wife, Sandra, of Purchase, NY, and Abigail Bartus and her husband Gregory of Glenside; five great-grandchildren and one on the way. Marge has two nephews, Carl Flora of Presque Isle, ME and Gregory Flora of Fairfield, CN, one great niece and four great nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Barbara Flora.

Marjorie graduated from Wheaton College, cum laude in 1942. She took the Executive Secretarial course at the Katharine Gibbs School in Boston. During WWII she was employed at the Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory in Cambridge, MA, and Fort Lauderdale, FL. From 1945 to 1948 she was an executive secretary and administrative assistant at the Ordinance Research Laboratory (now Applied Research Lab) at Penn State University.

Marge was active in local, state, and national educational and cultural organizations for over 50 years.

She was President of the Council of Auxiliaries to the Centre Community Hospital from 1967 to 1969 and President of the State College Branch of the American Association of University Women from 1969 to 1971. In 1983 she and her husband were Co-chairmen of the Centre Furnace Renaissance, a campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the Centre Furnace Mansion.

She was President of the Pennsylvania AAUW for two terms from 1974 to 1978. In recognition of her service as State President and to the AAUW Educational Fellowship, the Pennsylvania AAUW established the Marjorie W. Dunaway American Fellowship Endowment in 1982. From 1977 to 1979 she was a member and Vice Chairman of the Pennsylvania Community Education Advisory Council. She was a member of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council from 1981 to 1985 and 1987 to 1992, serving as Program Chairman and Membership Chairman.

Marge was National Chairman of the AAUW Educational Foundation Programs Committee from 1979 to 1982, a member of the national AAUW Board of Directors, and a trustee of the Fellowships Endowment Fund. As Educational Foundation Programs Chairman, she was instrumental in developing additional programs and funding for fellowships and grants for women.

Marge was honored as "Renaissance Woman of the Year" at the 1986 Penn State Renaissance Fund dinner in recognition of her public service activities. In 1988 she became a member of the Renaissance Fund Board of Directors and later served as President for three years.

Marge loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She enjoyed gardening, traveling and reading.

She was a member of Saint Peter's United Church of Christ.

Visitation will be 12 until 2 p.m., Friday, August 31, 2018 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College, PA.

Funeral service will be 2 pm, Friday, August 31, 2018 at Koch Funeral Home, with the Rev. Henry Covert officiating.

Burial will be in Spring Creek Presbyterian Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Marjorie W. Dunaway Renaissance Scholarship Fund, Office of Annual Giving, Penn State University, University Park, 16802.

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.