Margery Corwin Beam

WILMINGTON, N.C. - "You're gonna outlive us all!" Of course, she didn't outlive us all. On Dec. 10, 2017, Marge passed peacefully in her sleep at the age of 96.

It's something our family said in a joking tone to Marge Beam, whom we all knew as Gramma, as she progressed well into her tenth decade of life. It was a fun thing to say, one that many families with aging patriarchs and matriarchs surely used themselves. But for us, at least, there was a reason behind it.

Marge was born in Bronx, N.Y., and spent the first half of her life in New Jersey. She graduated from Bucknell University in 1942.

She married Clark C. Beam in 1947. In 1971, she and Clark moved to Stuart, Fla., where she lived for 42 years. In 2014, she moved to Plantation Village in Wilmington, N.C. She was a seasonal resident of Mercer, Wis.

Never content to sit around and watch life pass her by, Marge actively pursued her hobbies and interests through all but the last few months of her life. While many of her contemporaries were flummoxed or even scared by the advanced technology, Marge embraced it, becoming an active eBay user to research, buy and sell the antique china she loved so much. She was often found at her computer, buying and selling, while keeping up on current events and even maintaining a presence on Facebook.

But she was not one to simply sit at her computer. She was always up for new experiences, ocean fishing and fly fishing and traveling abroad with her husband, Clark, or simply taking grandchildren or great-grandchildren to local attractions so she could see it through their eyes. When she was 50, she became an antique dealer, traveling all over Florida to set up at antique shows. She joined the Questers, an international organization devoted to raising funds for historic preservation. She learned to hook rugs and has left some beautiful work for the family. And she was a good Friend of the Mercer Public Library. While she enjoyed the finer things in life, she was a child of the Great Depression, mindful of the intrinsic and lasting value of her purchases. Generous and kind, she never wanted her family to want for anything.

Loving, genuine, spirited and at times stubborn and opinionated, Marge loved her family and was thankful for every day she was able spend amongst them.

Until the last few weeks of her life, she was independent, opinionated and feisty. She was survived by children, Wendy and son-in-law Richard (Thiede) and Clark Beam Jr .; grandchildren, Chris and Scott Thiede, and Ian and Hailie Beam; and great-grandchildren, Evan, Madeleine and Josie. She was preceded in death in 2004 by Clark, her husband of 57 years.

Rest in peace, Gramma. We miss you and we love you.

Memorials in Marge's name may be sent to the Friends of the Mercer Public Library, 2648 Margaret St., Mercer, WI 54547.