Birth date: Jul 11, 1917 Death date: Jun 22, 2016
Marjorie M. Price “Muggs” Gowin 7/11/17 – 6/22/16 Mom lived up to her maiden name because she was always goin’. Raised in Minot, ND, she and Dad moved here via the Army. Their first home in South Tacoma continued to be Mom’s home Read Obituary
It was a "Great Ride Indeed"!.....what a wonderful life for such a wonderful person. She said it best, when she'd refer to herself as my other mother. That she was, that she truly was. Such a blessing to have known her and loved her. Even after I moved, we talked and laughed. Thank you for sharing her with me. I will truly miss her, but that little ole girl will always live in my heart.
Chet,
The Son from next door
Hi Darleen,
Condolences to you and your family.
Bea and I loved meeting up with you and your mother at conventions and conferences. She was ALWAYS upbeat, positive and inspiring. She had a cheeky grin and sense of humour and would light up the conversation with her presence. May she rest in peace. She certainly was a wonderful member of the Toastmasters family.
Love from Bea and I,
Gavin
Gavin Blakey, DTM
2002-03 International President.
What an honour it has been knowing the "Region One Mom" for over thirty years!
With the Sydor's involvement in Toastmasters at the Region and International level, we always looked forward to our time spent with Marg Price. It became even more meaningful after we got to spend time with her as part of the Toastmasters Tour Group to the Soviet Union in 1989. It was fun taking in the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the Soviet Union cities of Moscow, Leningrad and Tbilisi.
Always the one to want to go shopping, there was a lasting memory which was created as we were approached on the "Arbot" in Moscow, when a traveling vendor lifted his sleeve to reveal many "watches" and uttered the famous phrase that we used for greeting each other in later years ~ "wanna buy a watch?"
So many memories that remain fresh as the day they were made. Rest in Peace Marg Price and we hope you are able to enjoy your place in heaven without the need for a "watch".
Love
Marcia & Rick Sydor
A memory of Marjorie Price, alias Mom, a special feisty lady!
As I recall it, Mom had been sitting on the outside seat in a row at the Hall of Fame celebration event, most likely in 1995, at the San Diego Toastmasters International Convention, when she left it for some reason. In the meantime, I arrived and sat on this seat intending to hold some 20, or so, empty seats further along the row for my friends the overseas toastmasters.
When Mom returned, she found me sitting on "her" seat and politely
reminded me of this. As I was conscious that throughout the event my
friends would be passing in and out several times where Mom was sitting to receive
awards, to take photos, and generally to do some whooping and hollering, I gently tried to dissuade her from sitting there. But I was wasting my time - Mom was not for moving. So I beat a hasty retreat and left Mom in the sole ownership of that cherished outside seat.
As soon as the Hall of Fame began, the fun started. All those hunky Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans, accompanied by a few timid, self effacing Irishmen, began to traipse past Mom, out, and then in again, as they were called on to receive their awards. As we all supported each other, this meant all twenty of us squeezed past Mom several times. Was she upset and offended as I had anticipated? Not a bit of it! Having seventeen hunks, plus the three Irish, crawling all over her was the best part of the entire convention, it seemed.
I had no idea, of course, who Mom was until after the event was over. Then, as I wrongly thought at the time, matters were going to take a turn for the worst for me! A lady whom I recognized as an International Director, who turned out to be Mom's daughter, Darleen, arrived on the scene. As I was about to announce my candidacy the next day for such a position, offending the Director and her mother was guaranteed not to be a great start to a successful campaign for me. I needn't have worried. Mom seemed to have enjoyed her experience and she, Darleen, and I, became good friends thereafter, while the “incident” was always a topic of conversation and good humor every time we met at subsequent conferences. Indeed, Darleen was very helpful in my campaign leading up to my election as International Director the following year in St Louis.
When I discovered I would be visiting Tacoma as part of my visit to Vancouver last May, I was so pleased to get the opportunity to visit Mom in the nursing home. She seemed to know who I was and Darleen later confirmed that indeed she did. As I left her, as I suspected for the last time, I thought once again of my first meeting with Mom, a feisty lady indeed and, no doubt, still feisty at the wonderful age of 99.
As we say in Ireland about people who have passed, “the Light of Heaven to her”. May she rest in peace.
Ted Corcoran, DTM, International President 2003/2004, Toastmasters International,
Dublin, Ireland
I am saddened to hear of your Mom passing. Please also pass on my condolences to Dick as well. My memories of her were of a very nice Aunt and I always enjoyed the time I was with her. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy more time with her and the distance made it difficult at best. You and Dick are in my thought and prayers.
Love,
I can sympathize with the feelings you must be experiencing as no matter how much you think you've prepared yourself, the reality is devastating. I hope you can take solace in that she lived a long and productive life. She was such a wonderful person, always a joy to be around. I have such happy memories of the times spent with her. Please know our thoughts & prayers are with you during this difficult period.
I had the pleasure, privilege, and honour of meeting Marge during my first encounter with Region One Toastmasters. Marge immediately adopted me, as she has many Toastmasters, and became known as “Mom”. As the ultimate “mom” she had the knack, ability, and aptitude to make everyone, toastmaster and non-toastmaster alike, feel welcome, comfortable and a part of any activity going on. She lit up the room with her smile, her energy, her enthusiasm and her genuine interest in all around her. She will be missed. Rest in peace “Mom”.
