Marigenne Elliott

Marigenne Elliott died peacefully in hospice care on April 1, 2022 at the age of 89. Born to Gene and Maleta Ryburn in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, on January 27, 1933, Marigenne graduated from Wood River High School and later Illinois State University, where she met the love of her life Donald “Gus” Elliott. They were married 69 years and raised two sons, Jeffrey and Douglas, in the East Alton area. Most of her working career was as an administrative assistant at Illinois Freight, a trucking company. In retirement, Gus and Marigenne were avid travelers, and Marigenne could often be seen with a cup of coffee and crossword puzzle in her hands.

Among her many talents, Marigenne was a gifted seamstress, often making elaborate outfits during the day to be worn that same evening! Her many beautiful hand-stitched quilts are works of art and are cherished by family members as are the wall hangings and needlepoint works she did. Marigenne was also an accomplished golfer and an expert ballroom dancer. She and Gus danced at several conventions where they often performed in front of large crowds. Among her most avid passions was her love for genealogical research. The family joked that Marigenne had “traced us back to the Druids marching around the stones”, and while that is an exaggeration, she successfully created a complete family tree that dated back to the mid 1600’s.

Marigenne is survived by her husband Gus; son Doug and his wife Jaci; grandson Eric Elliott and his wife Sage Worzer; grandson Logan Elliott; daughter-in-law Mary Sumner Elliott; granddaughter Lindsay Elliott; granddaughter Andrea McGuiggan and her husband Jason; and great grandchildren Lily and Cameron McGuiggan. She was preceded in death by her parents and son Jeffrey.

In lieu of a formal service, the family will hold a private remembrance and then “take grandma on a roadtrip” to her most beloved and treasured places. The family would be honored if you would choose to make a donation to the charity of your choice in her memory. Please leave condolences here for the family to read.