Marjorie Kimble

Marge Kimble was a Stars and Stripes girl—born on the Fourth of July, 1924. Her parents were Tom and Harriet Swingle. Her beloved sister, Shirley Rizzo, will be 100 in February. Marge died on January 15.

Except for a short time during World War II, she lived her entire life in Linden and became, in a way, its matriarch. In 1943, she married Ralph Kimble, her only boyfriend ever. They owned a clothing store and a Ben Franklin store in Linden until the late 1950s, after which they had long careers as manufacturers’ reps. They were equal partners: year after year, Marge, sample cases in hand, visited retail stores throughout Detroit and the surrounding area to see her clients. And she traveled to trade shows in major U.S. cities—a businesswoman when there weren’t so many. Ralph died in 1997.

They had two children, Joe (MaryAnn Pierce) and Karen DeBenedet (d. 2018); two grandchildren, Anthony DeBenedet (Anna) and Emily Brooks (Rowan); and three great-grandchildren, Ava, Mia, and Lola DeBenedet. She was Aunt Marge to Tom Chapman (Mary) and a cousin to Jane Davis. She was immensely proud of her family, as parents tend to be. And to Marge and Ralph, their family owes everything.

Marge was a life master at bridge, a world traveler, an avid reader (thank you, Linden Library), a lifelong member of the Linden Presbyterian Church, a big sports fan, a committed bargain shopper, a sweetsaholic, and a kind soul. She had a wide circle of friends who loved her and visited her in her home right until the end. The family is deeply grateful to her unfailing longtime helpers: Jane Davis, Kathy Metivier, JoAnne and John Bond, Flora and Bernard Bedell, Phyllis and Fritz Balmer, Jim and Jake Wambold, Doreen and Tom Bollinger, Martie Lind, Harvey Bartel, John Felch, Bev Smaka, Joe and Mary Sue Duffy, Colleen Weston-Rebock, Laura Briney, Dr. Mary Marshall, and many others.

We will miss Marge terribly. But when the time came, she was clear in her wishes: “I’ve led a good, long life, and I’m ready to go.”

Donations in her memory may be made to the Linden Mills Historical Society (PO Box 823, Linden, MI 48451)—an organization that was dear to her heart. Or consider donating in her memory to an organization of your choice. There will be a memorial service at a later date.

RIP, Marge Kimble. 1-2-O (family sign-off). Beautifully done.