Marjorie Jane Silver Federowski, of Cass County

Published 9:27 am Thursday, March 14, 2019

Dec. 19, 1928 – Feb. 27, 2019

Marjorie Jane Silver Federowski, 90, long time Cass County resident, died peacefully Wednesday morning, Feb. 27, 2019, at her daughter’s home in Fairfax, Virginia where she lived for the last five years of her life.

She was born Dec. 19, 1928, in Edwardsburg, to Benjamin F. and Lula C. (Hawkins) Bacon Silver.

She married Alexander Francis Federowski, June 2, 1956, in Edwardsburg. After almost 56 years of marriage, he preceded her in death in 2012.

Her parents; one daughter Ruth Ann Federowski; her sister, Frances Ruth Wright; her half-sisters, Thelma Bittenbender and Carrie Pitts; her half-brother, Albert Bacon also predeceased her.

Marj lived 85 years of her life in Cass County where she dedicated her life to community service and was honored as a 1999-2000 Senior Citizen of the Year for the State of Michigan having been nominated by the Council on Aging after co-heading the capital campaign to build The Lowe Center. She served twice as the Cass County librarian where she spearheaded the development of a library district for Cass County, facilitated construction of a new library building by initiating a grant request, and ensured its funding in perpetuity by shepherding a millage vote through to passage. She served as a founding member of the Friends of the Library, a member of the County Historical Commission, and on the Woodland Library Cooperative Advisory Council. As a county commissioner (1975-6, 1979-80), she updated the county’s budget process. During her life, she helped found the Barn Swallow Theatre and Helping Hands and served on the Mental Health Board, the Social Services Board, and the County Transportation Authority. She was a life member of the Presbyterian Church of Edwardsburg and co-owned her husband’s filling station business. When her son, Daniel, due to his hearing loss, needed transportation to Berrien County to receive an education; she spent 7 years driving him to school and joined the Michigan Parents for the Hearing Impaired, which worked on legislation to make schools responsible for transporting special needs students. She never just fixed a problem; she created permanent solutions.

She enjoyed reading and travel and held a keen interest in history and genealogy throughout her life. In 2007, she joined the Captain Samuel Felt Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Active until the end, Marj participated in the neighborhood book club and attended events at the Kennedy Center until a few weeks before her death.

Marj will be greatly missed by her daughters Dora Leja (husband, Phillip) of Granger, Indiana, and Rachel Wilson (husband, Charles) of Fairfax, Virginia; her son Daniel Federowski (wife, LuAnne) of North Port, Florida; her step-children Mary Sagabiel (husband, Arthur) of Hico, Texas and Alex Federowski (wife, Barbara) of Keene, Texas; her grandchildren Roy Rossi, Michael Rossi, Kayla Federowski, Coby Federowski, Holly Lucas, Jeremy Lucas, Charles Wilson, and Rebecca Wilson; two great-grandchildren Leonardo Rossi and Samone Rossi, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends will be invited to participate in her memorial service at the United Presbyterian Church of Edwardsburg and inurnment at the Edwardsburg Cemetery on a date to be announced in June.

In the spirit of community service, the family prefers donations to the Cass District Library, 319 M-62, Cassopolis, Michigan 49031; The Presbyterian Church, 68961 S. Lake Street, PO Box 4, Edwardsburg, Michigan 49112, or the Barn Swallow Theatre, 22334 US-12, Edwardsburg, Michigan 49112.

Arrangements are by the Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, Edwardsburg.