Marguerite (Margie) Anne Rece (née Schaedel)

Rece—Marguerite (Margie) Anne Rece (née Schaedel), 89, on June 13, 2024, peacefully, in the loving presence of her family at the Fountainview Center for Alzheimer’s Disease in Atlanta, Ga. Margie was born on December 5, 1934, to Henry W. and Flora M. Schaedel on Long Island, N.Y. Margie attended Hempstead High School in New York; Hiram College in Ohio; the University of Arizona as a Danforth Graduate Fellowship recipient; Yale University in Connecticut; and the Medical College of Georgia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Margie married Ellis H. Rece Jr. They had three children, Julie, Will, and Katie.

Margie was a charismatic advocate for those in need, dedicating her life to bettering the lives of others. She volunteered with Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, as well as Project Head Start during its early years. Margie joined Augusta (Ga.) Meeting, embracing pacifism as an extension of her faith. She campaigned against the death penalty and visited those in prison; wrote hundreds of letters for Amnesty International to those imprisoned abroad; knit countless sweaters for refugee children under the auspices of American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); marched on Washington as part of the Poor People’s Campaign for economic justice; organized and attended peace vigils during the Vietnam War; counseled young conscientious objectors; and tirelessly advocated for universal healthcare. After she became a registered nurse, Margie worked through the Veterans Administration counseling Vietnam veterans suffering post traumatic stress disorder, and with victims of other traumas through her private practice.

Margie served for one term as clerk of Southeastern Yearly Meeting and was a longtime member of the Southeast Regional Executive Committee of AFSC. In 2005, Margie moved to Atlanta and transferred her membership to Atlanta Meeting. She regularly attended meetings for worship wearing her well-known bucket hat covered with buttons for the many causes she supported. When Margie related the story of her spiritual journey, she said that there is a “oneness in all life, from the simplest microbe to all humanity.” She lived walking cheerfully over the earth answering that of God in everyone.

Margie was a lifelong learner, a lover of books, and a tireless champion for social justice. She was a great letter writer, keeping in touch with friends and loved ones over many years. She helped organize Danforth Graduate reunions and attended conferences in Cuba and South Africa on behalf of universal healthcare. As her parents aged, Margie made regular trips to Virginia to spend time with them and to visit with her brother Joe’s family. Margie’s road trip companions were often her trusty canine buddies, Genie and Sundance.

As Margie’s dementia progressed, her children worked together to care for her, manage her finances, make frequent visits, and hold weekly Zoom calls. She was cared for and well loved by the staff at Fountainview for close to eight years.

Margie was predeceased by her former husband, Ellis H. Rece Jr.; and two grandchildren.

She is survived by three children, Julianne M. Rece, William E. Rece (Virginia), and Kathleen R. Kirby (Robert); four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and one brother, Joseph A. Schaedel (Nancy).