Margaret Mortensen

Ninety-one-year-old Marg Mortensen of Alden, Michigan, affectionately known as Grandma Maudie, under gentle, loving care and the giving hands of her son, passed peacefully at her home on Monday, October 18, 2010, having fallen victim in the past few years to dementia. Those observing found comfort knowing she was unstressed and unaware of her inabilities associated with this disease.

She was born Margaret Jane Cheney August 8, 1919, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Jay and Neva Cheney, the first of two children. While waiting table, a college graduate seeking a job opportunity began frequenting this restaurant. She and Jack Mortensen celebrated sixty-five years of marriage before his death April 25, 2006.

Marg is survived by her five children, Gayle McBride (Bill Gillingham) of Lodi, California, David (Zaidee Anderson) of Alden, Michigan, Diane (John Peterson) of Okemos, Michigan, Garth (Sheron) of Kewadin, Michigan, and Janet Mortensen-Chown (David) of Williamsburg, Michigan; seven grandchildren, Jill Graham (Kevin) of Rio Vista, California, Dawson and Kaysen Mortensen-Chown of Williamsburg, Michigan, Cari Anderson (Tony Linch) of Sacramento, California, Jennifer Lewis of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Chris (Julie) Lewis of Melrose, Florida, and Wendy (Felix) Montalvo of Kewadin, Michigan; and six great grandchildren, Drew and Alyssa Graham of Rio Vista, California, Zaidee Lee Linch of Sacramento, California, Chance Lewis of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Rosita and Thalia Montalvo of Kewadin, Michigan.

Husband Jack Mortensen, brother Jack Cheney, and son Bruce Eric Mortensen, at age five, preceded her in death.

Marg's love for design came naturally. During the depression, she started working at an early age in Globe Knitting Mills, manufacturing clothing using metal patterns for cutting great stacks of fabrics for side-by-side economical and premium merchandisers. Interestingly enough, she would say, the only difference in quality control between the two was in the size of the stack.

Marg was a gifted interior designer and owned her own business, providing custom design and drapery to long-time clients who never let her retire. She also demonstrated her many talents and skills designing and making costumes and dresses for her daughters and friends, many times creatively using drapery fabric remnants. She also dabbled with creating custom designer baby dolls. Unfortunately, the ability to sew, knit, crochet, tat, and create patterns is quickly vanishing in today's technology-obsessed world.

Just when most would retire, travel, and simply enjoy life, Marg opened The Village Baker in Alden where the tag line had real meaning: every batch from scratch. She could never keep up with demand, particularly in regards to her "to-die-for" lemon meringue pie!

In her later years, Marg enjoyed creative cooking, growing orchids, drawing and attending art classes, and curling up with her favorite read from Agatha Christie.

Family and friends will gather this summer at her forty-year residence in celebration of her life. The Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes has handled arrangements.