Born Marjorie Jeanne Johnson on November 5, 1924 to Dorothy Constance "Connie" Johnson and George Barnett Johnson in Kansas City, Kansas, she was blessed by a younger brother George "June" Johnson, Jr. and an older brother Robert "Bob" Johnson, both of whom predeceased her. She was captain of the women’s basketball team at Shawnee Mission Rural High School and married her highschool sweetheart, John Kenneth "Tad" Coles, Jr. , captain of the men’s basketball team, just before he went overseas to serve in the Air Force in World War II. She delivered the first of three children, Robert Prater Coles, on August 30, 1945, as the war was winding down. She and Tad lived in a quonset hut built for returning veterans in Fort Collins where Tad got a degree in forestry at Colorado State University (CSU). She delivered their second child, Linda Jeanne Coles Ransom Cannon on February 21, 1947. After college Tad managed a Boy Scout Camp in Boone County, Missouri. Soon after their third child, Tad Barnett Coles, AKA "Little Tad" to differentiate him from "Big Tad," was born on May 18, 1956, the couple and their three kids returned to Kansas City to take over as contract carrier of a Kansas City Star paper route that had been in the Coles' family for many years. They lived on Clark Drive for almost a decade and moved to Dearborn Drive in the Milhaven subdivision in 1962. She hosted a multitude of holiday and birthday gatherings at her home, which she furnished with style and kept immaculately clean. When she cooked it was delicious, savory, served with a flourish, and much enjoyed. She introduced her grandkids to the "un-dinner" (popcorn and ice cream sundaes). She frequently answered the question of, "What's for dinner?" with, "Wherever you want to eat out. " Grandkids spent many hours with her and remember her and Grandad Tad running through the house doing their calisthenics and watching Johnny Carson every night. They took us on many day trips throughout Kansas City. She could be quite stubborn and was known to proclaim the World Book Encyclopedia as "wrong" when we fact-checked her. You can’t trust everything you read. She loved back scratches and foot rubs, but probably gave more than she received. Big Tad suffered a brain aneurysm in the winter of 1974-75 and developed an Alzheimer’s related disorder. She became his caregiver and ran the paper route, which was on the Plaza. She was a hard worker and involved in every aspect of the business including hiring the main driver, picking up papers, mailing and hand delivering statements, collecting coins from paper machines, and helping paper boys out in a wide variety of ways. Her grace was unlimited. She always had open arms and a free room. We felt welcome and loved. As matriarch of the family she listened carefully when troubles presented and offered to help. She was generous and nonjudgmental during difficult times. She simply figured out how to assist in the best possible way and offered a hug and a wink to go with it. Big Tad’s dementia progressed. He was put in a nursing home and passed away on March 10, 1990. Marjorie rekindled her friendship with an old Air Force friend of theirs from CSU, Ret. Col. Roger Neal Mercer, and married him in November of 1991 surrounded by family. They traveled between Wichita and Kansas City by car and air before making their home in Wichita while Roger worked for Flight Safety. Their home backed to a wildlife preserve renewing Marge's lifelong affinity for birds of all types. Marge was tough-minded. She had a bout with breast cancer, but it was no match for her spirit. Marge had a kind heart and always had cats and dogs as pets (Sheba, Spirit, Nip, Tuck, Duke, and Holly to name a few). She was a traveler and was blessed with many vacations to enjoy. As Roger's health declined they returned to Kansas City. She lived at Hillside Village of DeSoto, where Roger died, Sunrise of Overland Park, and finally at Lamar Court. Love was an ideal she professed and an action she demonstrated. We are grateful for all the time we had with her and have difficulty letting her go, but she would prefer we celebrate her life rather than mourn her passing. She made that abundantly clear. She also wanted us to pay attention to and watch out for each other. She forgave past grievances as an example for us to see and follow. We will do our best to live up to her high ideals. She had a great sense of humor to the end. On one of her last visits to the doctor while he was inspecting a breast implant that had shifted, she cracked Doc up when she informed him, with a twinkle in her eye, that she was the president of the itty bitty titty committee. No, she wouldn't mind that we shared that. She was well cared for by hospice nurses and thankfully passed without much suffering. In addition to her three children she is survived by six grandchildren Sheri Lynn Coles, Lee-Ann Coles Beery, G. Bretton Ransom, Brooke Cannon Poindexter, S. Cassidy Coles, and Jacob Robert Coles. Seven great grandchildren survive also: Avery, Tate, Ryne, Quinn, Keiren, Felix, and Poppy. She loved each of us. We obviously love her. To celebrate her life please join us Sunday, October 11, at 1:00 pm at Antioch Park shelter #3. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mid America Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society http://www. nationalmssociety. org/Chapters/KSG

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Marjorie Jeanne Johnson Coles Mercer Obituary | Cremation Center of Kansas City