Marjorie J. Middleton

Not to be outdone by the drama that is 2020, Marjorie Janet Middleton of Middleburg, Florida, by way of Tulsa, Oklahoma and native of St. Louis, Missouri, passed away on August 1, 2020 at the age of 77. Her sudden and untimely passing came as quite a shock even though she was diagnosed with COPD, lung cancer, stroke, and dementia. Nonetheless, she refused to be upstaged by either a pandemic or Murder Hornets or even the pending presidential election.

Margie is known across the country by several aliases, “Gee”, “Gee Gee”, Grandma Marching, Kiki Larue, The Deevine Miss M, and mom. She is survived by her two proudest accomplishments, son Joe Torneo, and daughter Christi Torneo Wolter. Additionally, she is survived by her sister, Carol Choate, nieces Jamie Bryant and Sherrie Powell Becklund, seven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren whom she loved more than anything else in the world…except Tom Jones, dogs, spontaneous adventures and road trips, Christmas magic, photography, open toed sandals, Jesus, Bette Midler, Cher and the Moody Blues  – in no particular order.  

Truly a profile of courage, she role modeled the art of the comeback. A semi-famous star on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, she traded her fame and fortune to become a single mother of two and beginning a lifetime of pictures, always behind the lens instead of the focus.  

A graduate of several state institutions and trade schools, Margie went from laying concrete on roads, welding, owning her very own diner “Margie’s Dinky Diner”, to graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in graphic Design. She honed her artistic abilities and gift for gab and made her way into a marketing career for a hearing aid company in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In her lifetime she was a homeowner and entrepreneur, she lived several lifetimes of adventure, trials, heartache, and success before retiring into her golden years in the Florida sunshine, a dream only made possible by her incredible daughter.   

Margie will be missed dearly by all who knew her. She was an incredible, yet not a perfect woman, she made her peace and gave her life to God. She had an unparalleled zest for life and a laugh that made her the life of the party. Resourceful and hopelessly optimistic, she taught us that you are never out of the game, even if you are way behind or at rock bottom, there is always another comeback to be had. Through her we also learned about forgiveness and imperfection, she lived her humanity honestly and she will live on in our hearts, minds, thoughts, prayers, and laughs forever.

So today, I know mom would wish for us to always tip the waitress and bartender, wash your hands, wear a mask and then pour a double glass and raise one more cheer for my mom, The Deevine Miss M and remember to live life to the fullest and laugh, love, and then laugh some more.

The family will receive friends from 12:00-12:30pm, on Friday, August 7, 2020 in the Broadus-Raines Chapel. Funeral service will start at 12:30pm with Pastor Mark Sellers officiating. Graveside service following at Russell Haven of Rest Cemetery.