Margaret Cara Nordman DeGooyer

Margaret "Margie" DeGooyer was born in Wiota, Iowa on August 15th, 1921 to Frank and Myrtle Nordman. Her family moved from Freedom, OK to Valentine, NE where she graduated high school at the age of 16. After turning down a scholarship offer, she moved with her family to Hot Springs, SD. During her time in Hot Springs, Margie worked as a taxi driver providing transportation to the Veterans Hospital and the Senior Home, while many of the young men were serving the country during World War II. She also learned to fly and performed her first solo flight in a Piper Cub airplane. In 1945, the family moved to Richland where Margie was hired to work at Hanford in the analytical labs and continued her flight training. She met her husband Walt DeGooyer in an employee cafeteria where she said he asked in front of the group "Marge, did anyone ever tell you, you have pretty hands?" The two married in 1948 and moved near Walt's family in Salt Lake City, UT where they spent the next 3 years and gave birth to their only child, Diane. Margie returned to Richland with Walt and Diane and went back to work in the labs for Exxon, Advanced Nuclear, and Siemens where she said she "received an education she could not have gotten at any college". During her career, she learned to analyze Plutonium as a Mass Spectroscopist and eventually became the first woman supervisor at Hanford. Margie established herself as a pioneer for the working woman through her accomplishments at Hanford and was proud to be recognized as a woman who made a difference at Hanford. In addition to her professional success, she was a wonderful mother, grandmother, family member and friend to many in the community. To many of her family members and friends, she was known as "Mercedes Marge" which is a constant reminder of the class, style and elegance in which she lived her life. She was a seasoned traveler and loved to tell stories about her experiences in Hawaii, Singapore, Cost Rica, France and England to name a few. Margie also gave back to the community through her contributions to the B.P.W., organizing fashion shows and modeling clothing for local retailers. She is preceded in death by her husband, Walt; parents, Frank and Myrtle Nordman; brother, Bill Nordman; and dear & beloved friend, Bill Roe. Margie is survived by her daughter, Diane Nicholson and fiance' Randy Smith; grandson, Scott Newton and wife Carrie & great grand-daughters Jocie & Maddie; grandson, Joey Burks and significant other Danielle Stinnett; and her four sisters, Francis Trudell and husband Huck; Doris Gibson and her husband, Carl "Gibby"; Joyce Hart; and Pat Geffe and her husband Pete. A memorial service will held at Einan's Funeral Home in Richland on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception at the Red Lion Hanford House in Richland at approximately 4:00 p.m.