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SAVANNAH, Ga. - On Saturday night, July 25, 2009 our mother, Marjorie Eilene Dubberly died at her home in Savannah, Ga. She was surrounded by all seven of her children. We held her hand, we kept telling her that we loved her, and thanked her for being an extraordinary human being, and a wonderful mother to all of us: Michael, Jeffery, Scott, David, Steven, Carolyn, and Jennifer. For nearly 50 years she was also a loving, supportive wife of Thomas A. Dubberly. He died in 1994. She was there when each one of us took our first breath of life, and we were there for her as she took her last.

Our mother was born in East Liverpool on Oct. 12, 1924. She has a sister, Doris who lives in Sonora, Calif. She had a brother Kenneth who died a few years ago. These children were the offspring of Edwin and Vivian Stoffel. Our grandfather Edwin was a potter his entire life, just as was his father before him. These three children came into the world when it was in economic tumult, and their parents struggled to provide for them. But their family was full of love, optimistic for the future, and so they survived and even prospered.

The economic depression of the thirties gave way to a different sort of chaos in the forties. These strong people faced those challenges, just as they had the former. It was during World War II that our mother met a young soldier from near Jesup, Ga. They boarded a bus together in Sacramento, Calif. Our father bribed a soldier who was sitting next to our mother, for his seat. Emboldened, he introduced himself to his future wife, and our mother.

They wed in Sacramento on July 5, 1944. Marjorie worked as a teletype operator for the government, and Tom boarded a ship to help fight a war in the Pacific.

The war finally ended, and our father and mother set out on their life together in East Liverpool. Our father became a potter, and our mother went about making a small home comfortable and secure. She was very, very good at her trade. She was famous for the table she sat. Everything prepared perfectly, and wonderfully presented at the table. No one ever pushed back their chair and still felt hungry. Her skill with the oven was peerless. She baked every sort of delectable thing. She made her own bread. Cookies for us were always in order after school, and of course our friends knew that bright pottery jar with a lid would yield mouth watering treats. All sorts of cakes and pies sat on the counters. Her turkey dressing is legendary made, of course, with her homemade bread. Her resume in the kitchen would fill volumes.

When our jeans needed repairing or the girls needed a special dress, there was mom's "sewing room." I can still hear the clip-clip of the shears, and sound of the electric sewing machine, and smell the 3-in-1 oil she used to apply to her machine. Her first Social Security check went to buy a new Bernini sewing machine.

She arose with us in the morning, was almost always at home when we returned from school. Full of conversation and a deep interest in our school activities that day, we all knew that to her we were very important. We did not want to disappoint her. Of course sometimes we did. She had a spatula that over the years took the shape of a fanny. It was nearby in the kitchen when she needed it. You would always find her in the kitchen, laundry, or the sewing room. We can never remember coming home as children and not finding her busy at her craft. She was very proud of her homemaking job.

Just like anyone else's life, hers had joys and sorrows. There were times when a factory worker like our father would simply be out of work. Keeping a large household running was extremely difficult. Our brother David became very ill when he was a toddler. She was afraid she would loose him. She had recently taken up smoking, but when David became ill she bartered a little with God, and asked Him to save David and she would never smoke again. David did get better, and our mother never smoked again.

The times when our brothers Jeff and Mike went off to war in Vietnam were very difficult for mom. She cried and cried, our dad too. It was the only time any of us saw him cry. We felt great guilt for having visited this grief onto our mother. They both survived that war, and the joy was without measure upon our return.

As the years swept byour brothers and sisters grew up, most of us married, giving grandchildren to Mom. Each one of those grandchildren and great-grandchildren has been treated as if they are a one of a kind. And a visit to their "Big Momma" was not complete without a trip to the special drawer, just for them, that had special treats in it.

Mom and Dad retired in the eighties and spent their golden years in the Savannah area.

They leave behind as their legacy their children Michael, Jeff, Scott, David, Steven, Carolyn, and Jennifer; their grandchildren Michelle Ann, Rachael, Andrew, Corbett, Danielle, Cassie, the twins Christopher, and Katie, Carsen, and Jordan; great-grandchildren Victoria, the twins Graysen and Gabriel, and Bailey. Mom also leaves behind a sister who was very, very close to her Doris Boughner of Sonora, Calif.; a very special sister-in-law, Carol Stoffel of Findlay, Ohio; and nieces and nephews Marsha, Kris, Mark and Matthew. She was also loved by her sons and daughters-in-law Peggy, Ginger, Susan, Robbie and Jimmy. Mom had so many good friends, and a special one, Margie Terrell, who preceded her in death just a few weeks ago.

There are others, so many we have insufficient space to include.

Our mother loved Jehovah God to her core. She regularly read and studied the bible. She made sure her children were exposed to its richness. She made it a point to be an advocate of God's Kingdom. She became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1972, and was a member of the East Liverpool Congregation. She was a member of the George Town Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses when she died.

Mom left us rich in what she could give to all of us. A warm and altruistic model to follow. She was kind to everyone. Ready to give assistance, or something from her limited means if necessary. A quick, warm smile, an optimistic outlook.

As time passes we will appreciate these things more than we do now. We are so happy to have been her children. At the moment we feel bereft of her lovely face. The fact is that this loss is also Jehovah's. This wonderful person is no longer here to bring joy to Him. "when an able-bodied man dies and lies vanquished and expires, where is he? A man lies down and does not get upkeep me secret until your anger turns back. That you would set a time limit for me and remember me. If an able-bodied man dies, can he live again? All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait. Until my relief comes. You will call, and I myself shall answer you. For the work of your hands you will have a yearning." The book of Job.

Until we see you again Mom, you will be alive in our memories.

Your Children.

Fox and Weeks Funeral Home in Savannah, Ga. is in charge of the arrrangements.