Margie Helena Harford

Margie Helena (Swanton) Harford, 85, of Newton died on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at Windsor Manor in Grinnell. Visitation with the family will be held at Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory on Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 1-2 p.m., followed by a service at 2 p.m.

Marge, the daughter of Maurice Cecil and Lillian Bertha Sopha (Hinz) Swanton, was born on December 3, 1938, near DeWitt, Iowa. She graduated from Maquoketa High School in 1956. On November 12, 1956, Marge was united in marriage with Carlton Neale Harford in Maquoketa. 

Marge and her husband owned and operated the Newton KOA Campground for eight years before she began managing H&R Block and working as a tax preparer for Selby/Updegraff/Smith/Holwerda Law and later Walker’s Law Office.

Those left to honor Marge’s memory include her children, Melinda Burgess of Newton, Patti Casper (Randy Wickham) of Montezuma, Sheryl (Darrell) Bailey of Horse Cave, KY, Vicki (Shawn) Wade of Newton, and Matthew Harford of Des Moines; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one sister and one brother. She was preceded in death by her husband Carlton in 2013; her parents; infant son, Michael; and granddaughter, Stephanie Chesshire.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left at the funeral home or mailed to Vicki Wade, 909 S. 5th Ave W., Newton, Iowa 50208. Please make checks payable to Vicki Wade.

A full obituary is available on the Wallace Family Funeral Home website.