Marjorie Laverty's Obituary
Marjorie Eleanor Pearson Laverty was born on January 2, 1924 in the Temescal District of
Oakland, California to parents John Arthur “Popsy” and Violet Pearson. She was born in their
modest family home on 48th Street, next to the family home of her aunt and uncle, Mabel and
Willard Martin, and their daughter Janice. One of her earliest memories is of the Sacramento
Northern Railroad that ran up Shafter Avenue, very close to the family home. Her father was a
lifelong employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad and would rise at 5:00 AM seven days a week
to work as the 98th Avenue Elmhurst station as Agent Telegrapher.
A few years after Marjorie's birth, the family relocated to a flat on 43rd St. She attended
Emerson Elementary School which was located just across the railroad tracks. Among many
fond memories were the days she was escorted around school by other students who were
concerned for her after she had broken her arm while playing on the rings. Also of lasting note
were several field trips conducted by the school principal, Mr. Benner. He would load a car full
of kids and travel to places like Lake Merritt, where the group would go rowing, and to Mt Tam
where the group climbed the Pipeline Trail to the peak from Mill Valley. She later attended
Woodrow Wilson Junior High School.
Fond memories throughout her childhood include the many days her older brother Willard
Oliver Spencer would practice his trombone, in preparation for what later became a nationally
respected career in music. Marjorie also recalls the wonderful community of kids would gather
to play in the street outside her home. Of note were her best friend Margaret Underwood and
Robert Bruner. One day, a church pastor came knocking at the door during his canvassing of the
neighborhood. He was recruiting kids to attend his Sunday school. So Marjorie went, and so
became a longtime association with Gospel Auditorium on 42nd Street, the church she always
imagined herself getting married in. During the transition into high school, her family moved
over near Piedmont Avenue to Ridgeway Avenue. From here she attended Oakland Technical
High School. She took pride in being a good student, was president of the Latin Club, sang in the
Glee Club, and studied dancing.
Throughout her childhood, Marjorie would travel by train from Oakland to Warm Springs to
spend weekends and blocks of time during the summer with her grandparents. Warm Springs
was a magical place for Marjorie. Here, her grandmother's family owned a two-story property
that had a dance hall on the top floor and groceries, restaurant, and telephone switchboard on
the first floor. Marjorie has fond memories of operating the switchboard.
The summer following high school, she attended business school. Fortuitously, someone from
the Altenheim, a German American retirement home and cultural center, came to her school
and recruited her to work in the Altenheim's office. So began a 70-year association with that
organization. 1942 was a landmark year, as in addition to her new job, she enrolled in the
University of California at Berkeley. She set out to study Social Welfare and on the first day of
school, she met Gordon Laverty at a hearing test that both were required to take. They had
noticed each other during the test and Gordon walked Marjorie to the streetcar stop. So began
their 70 years of relationship.
Following her first year of study, Marjorie chose to focus on working full time at the Altenheim.
With the advent of World War II and Gordon's enlistment in the Army, priorities shifted. At first,
she visited Gordon at two of his assignments, Camp McQuaide and University of California,
Davis. Then with Gordon's deployment overseas, she worked with the American Red Cross as a
nurse's aide, training in San Leandro and volunteering at Oakland's Providence Hospital,
assisting returning veterans at the converted Hotel Oakland.
Following the war, in 1949, she joined a Shriners-organized trip by ship on The Lurline to Hawaii
for 11 days. While there, she took hula lessons at the YWCA and began a 40-year stint of
studying Hawaiian culture and dance. Her teacher in Hawaii was Ida Gonzalvez who two years
later moved to the Bay Area and the two were united as teacher and student until Ida's passing.
During that time, Marjorie danced in numerous Hawaiian shows produced by Ida. Throughout
the 1950s she also studied painting attending several night schools. Margie had been visiting
her aunt Florence Glass in Palm Springs for years and on April 20 1957, she and Gordon were
married there. The two settled down a year later in their brand new home in Oakland. Among
other significant activities in her life, Marjorie, through her brother Willard, was initiated into
the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Matron in 1954 and 1996. She co-founded
the Leona Heights Garden Club with another Hula instructor and neighbor, Jeanne Gutfeld.
Along the way, she's been active in the P.T.A., the Cub Scouts of America, the Montclair
Women's Club, the Ebell Society, P.E.O., Fruitvale Presbyterian Church (as a Deacon), Job's
Daughters, Woodminster Amphitheatre (Board Member), Excelsior German Center at the
Altenheim (Board Member), was a staff writer for the community newspaper the MacArthur
Metro, and loving mother of children Laurence Laverty, Ross Laverty, and Annette Laverty.
Marjorie gave selflessly of her time and energy to help others. She loved gardening and sharing
her knowledge with the community, and was passionate about imparting the history of her
native city of Oakland. Marjorie passed away July 21, 2021, in her bed, at the home in Oakland
that she and her sweetheart Gordon had built together, 62 years ago.
What’s your fondest memory of Marjorie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Marjorie?
Share a story where Marjorie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Marjorie you’ll never forget.
How did Marjorie make you smile?