Obituary for Marjorie A. Edelson
If you knew Marge Edelson, she almost certainly had a profound impact on your life.
Our beloved Marjorie Ann Douglas Edelson, 87, a longtime resident of Ocean Township, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2024, surrounded by family.
The oldest child of Howard and Ruth Douglas of Deal, she graduated from Asbury Park High School in 1954. A year after graduating from Trenton State Teachers College in 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Paul Edelson, and the two were married for 64 years and partners in life.
Marge was a force of nature, with numerous examples of her indominable spirit leaving an impression on the community.
She helped shape countless young lives as a teacher in Ocean Township, and later, after earning a Masters in Education in 1991 from Georgian Court University, served as an administrator as part of a 30-year career in education.
In 2022, she was the recipient of the Jane G. Clayton Award for her contributions to preserving and promoting Monmouth County history. The honor was the culmination of 50 years dedicated to the history of Ocean Township, beginning with being a founder of the Ocean Township Historical Society in the early 1970s, and co-authored An Historic Perspective on the Township of Ocean in 1974.
Marge was a co-founder in 1984 of the Township of Ocean Historical Museum, now located in Eden Woolley
House. Then Marge and Paul helped preserve one of the town’s oldest homes to serve as the museum’s home, turning it into a learning center for area residents and township students, including a program for third graders that began in 2000, and was a tireless promotor and fundraiser for the cause.
Her passion for education clearly extended beyond the classroom, teaching all five of her granddaughters to sew in her annual weeklong summer camps, with the days often ending on the sand at the end of Phillips Avenue in Deal, where she spent her summers on the beach since childhood. An avid crafter, she could often be found in quilt shops around New Jersey and beyond, looking for fabric and inspiration. She was a talented artist, illustrator and author.
But it was Marge’s family that gave her the greatest joy, with their home in Oakhurst the gathering spot for everything from holiday gatherings to summer cookouts. She was a tireless volunteer for whatever her five children were participating in, never missing a game or activity. More recently, her doting has turned to her 13 grandchildren, her calendar revolving around their milestones.
Marge was predeceased in death by her parents, and is survived by her husband, Paul, her sister, Ellen Blundin, Bay Head and her brother, Howard Douglas, Middletown, and her children: Gary Edelson, Ocean Township; Steve Edelson, Ocean Township; Mark Edelson, Landenberg, Pa.; Greg Edelson, Charlotte, N.C.; and Amy Durocher, Westfield. Her grandchildren include: Ben and Sam Edelson; Ryan, Genevieve, Mary Kate, Maggie and Angela Edelson; Jordan, Andrew and Jack Edelson; and John, Chris and Cate Durocher.
The family welcomes everyone for visitation at Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road in Oakhurst, Ocean Township on Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary of the Assumption in Deal, where she was baptized, married and remained a lifelong member, on Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., with interment to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, her wishes were to make a donation to the Township of Ocean Historical Museum. For condolences, please visit ww.fiorefuneralhomes.com.
Our beloved Marjorie Ann Douglas Edelson, 87, a longtime resident of Ocean Township, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2024, surrounded by family.
The oldest child of Howard and Ruth Douglas of Deal, she graduated from Asbury Park High School in 1954. A year after graduating from Trenton State Teachers College in 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Paul Edelson, and the two were married for 64 years and partners in life.
Marge was a force of nature, with numerous examples of her indominable spirit leaving an impression on the community.
She helped shape countless young lives as a teacher in Ocean Township, and later, after earning a Masters in Education in 1991 from Georgian Court University, served as an administrator as part of a 30-year career in education.
In 2022, she was the recipient of the Jane G. Clayton Award for her contributions to preserving and promoting Monmouth County history. The honor was the culmination of 50 years dedicated to the history of Ocean Township, beginning with being a founder of the Ocean Township Historical Society in the early 1970s, and co-authored An Historic Perspective on the Township of Ocean in 1974.
Marge was a co-founder in 1984 of the Township of Ocean Historical Museum, now located in Eden Woolley
House. Then Marge and Paul helped preserve one of the town’s oldest homes to serve as the museum’s home, turning it into a learning center for area residents and township students, including a program for third graders that began in 2000, and was a tireless promotor and fundraiser for the cause.
Her passion for education clearly extended beyond the classroom, teaching all five of her granddaughters to sew in her annual weeklong summer camps, with the days often ending on the sand at the end of Phillips Avenue in Deal, where she spent her summers on the beach since childhood. An avid crafter, she could often be found in quilt shops around New Jersey and beyond, looking for fabric and inspiration. She was a talented artist, illustrator and author.
But it was Marge’s family that gave her the greatest joy, with their home in Oakhurst the gathering spot for everything from holiday gatherings to summer cookouts. She was a tireless volunteer for whatever her five children were participating in, never missing a game or activity. More recently, her doting has turned to her 13 grandchildren, her calendar revolving around their milestones.
Marge was predeceased in death by her parents, and is survived by her husband, Paul, her sister, Ellen Blundin, Bay Head and her brother, Howard Douglas, Middletown, and her children: Gary Edelson, Ocean Township; Steve Edelson, Ocean Township; Mark Edelson, Landenberg, Pa.; Greg Edelson, Charlotte, N.C.; and Amy Durocher, Westfield. Her grandchildren include: Ben and Sam Edelson; Ryan, Genevieve, Mary Kate, Maggie and Angela Edelson; Jordan, Andrew and Jack Edelson; and John, Chris and Cate Durocher.
The family welcomes everyone for visitation at Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road in Oakhurst, Ocean Township on Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary of the Assumption in Deal, where she was baptized, married and remained a lifelong member, on Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., with interment to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, her wishes were to make a donation to the Township of Ocean Historical Museum. For condolences, please visit ww.fiorefuneralhomes.com.