Marjorie Willer, 92, died at her home in Batesville on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. She was born on October 10, 1930, in Franklin County, Indiana, the daughter of Ralph J. Beckman and Mary Esther (Bossert) Beckman. She married Robert H. Willer on October 18, 1952, and he preceded her in death on May 5, 2000.
Marj earned her nursing diploma at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati in 1951 and was a proud member of the nursing profession for the rest of her life. After a break while her children were young, Marj worked for 10 years as the director of nursing at the Milan Health Care Center. Once her children were in college, she also returned to school to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Joseph’s College in Maine. She then joined the nursing staff at Decatur County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, ending her 30-year career there as the Vice President for Quality and Compliance.
Retiring from DCMH at age 81, Marj immediately began volunteering. She spent several years as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for Southeastern Indiana Voices for Children. She also tutored children as a reading volunteer at Batesville Primary School until the pandemic shut this down. Margaret Mary Health in Batesville presented her with their Outstanding Volunteer award for her services providing health information to seniors. She also helped the State Health Insurance Assistance Program advise Medicare beneficiaries via one-on-one appointments, community presentations and virtual assistance for more than 10 years.
Marj received the Indiana Rural Health Association Award for Leadership in 2011, and she was recently recognized as a 2022 Golden Hoosier Award recipient. This is the highest honor bestowed upon an older Hoosier on behalf of the state of Indiana, recognizing a lifetime of community service and commitment to serving others.
Marj is survived by her four children, Barbara (Ed Morawetz), of Annandale, Virginia; David (Debra), of Mt. Vernon, Washington; Jeffrey (Gina), of Woodhaven, Michigan; and Timothy (Lisa), of Brookville, Indiana, as well as seven grandchildren: Kia Morawetz, Kirsten Willer, Brendan (Amanda) Willer, Nicholas (Megan) Willer, Matt Willer, Derek Hilbert, and Alicia (Josh) Maupin, and five great-grandchildren: Noah and Lillian Willer, Heath Willer, and Nathan and Jameson Maupin. One grandson, Christopher Morawetz, preceded her in death. Marj is also survived by her sister Mary Crafton of Phoenix, Arizona.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM with funeral services beginning at 1:00 PM all at Meyers Funeral Home in Batesville.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Marj’s memory to the Decatur County Memorial Hospital Foundation. You may bring them to the services or mail to Meyers Funeral Home, P.O. Box 202, Batesville, IN 47006.
Please feel free to leave a memory or a message of comfort for Marjorie’s family in the online guestbook at www.meyersfuneralhomes.com