Marjorie Irene Andersen Zeller, Grant County pioneer teacher, passed away Wednesday morning, November 16, two weeks after celebrating her 100th birthday and three months after serving as Queen of the Leith Centennial Parade. Both Marjorie and Leith, her hometown, were born in 1909.


Marjorie devoted her life to being useful. She was a classroom teacher for 45 years, a 4-H leader for 50 years, she taught piano and other musical instruments for 50 years, was the Church organist for 60 years and represented Grant County in the Silver-Haired Legislature. Marjorie was wife and partner to her beloved husband, Julius, for 75 years.


Marjorie was born on Oct. 24, 1909, to Tom and Nancy Andersen on their homestead south of Leith. In 1912 the family moved into Leith where Tom ran the livery stable, a dray service and managed the Leith Creamery Cooperative.


Marjorie's chores in those days included milking cows and delivering milk and cream to customers around town. She attended Leith Public School and completed her High School education at Dickinson Normal School and graduated from there in 1927 with her Standard Teaching Diploma. She began her teaching career in the Ferguson District south of Shields.


On January 20, 1928, Marjorie married Julius Zeller, "one of Grant County's progressive young farmers", according to the wedding announcement printed in the Leith Index. During their years in Leith, Marjorie taught in several area schools and gave music lessons to hundreds of students. She also helped Julius run the Leith Hardware and manage the Leith Cream Association. Marjorie and Julius raised two children, Rita Rae and Ron, enjoyed fishing, working in the yard and garden and took many family trips to Minnesota and the Black Hills. In 1939 they drove cross-country to California, driving to the top of Pike's Peak along the way and may have been the first North Dakotan's to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, three years after it was constructed.


After Julius sold the Leith Hardware in 1958, Marjorie taught in Edmore, Driscoll and Lefor. After receiving her Bachelor's Degree in 1966, Marjorie and Julius moved the Northwestern Lutheran Academy in Mobridge, SD, where she taught music and Julius was custodian and grounds keeper. In 1973 they both retired to the Striegel Ranch, home of their daughter, Rita, and her husband, Duane Striegel. Julius passed away, aged 99, in 2002.


Marjorie was preceded in death by baby daughter, Joyce, grandson Bruce, son Ron, sisters Ruth and Dorothy, brother Les, granddaughter Kayla, grandson Jerome, husband Julius and son-in-law Duane Striegel. She is survived by sister Doris, daughter Rita Rae, daughter-in-law Dorothy, ten grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and a community of loving friends and neighbors in and around Leith.


Funeral services will be Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Carson, ND. Rev. Wayne Rouse and Rev. Carl Lindemann will officiate and burial will follow at the Leith Cemetery near Leith, ND. Visitations will be from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20th, at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin, ND and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday morning.