Marjorie Wharton, age 81, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Gundersen Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin, after a short illness, with Julia by her side, reading the Evening Prayer.

Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 2026, at First Lutheran Church, 604 W. Broadway St., Decorah, Iowa, with Reverends Marion Pruitt-Jefferson and Christine Gowdy-Jaehnig presiding. No burial.

Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church.

The service will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/live/C3K9l9odfQE

Donations may go to the following links:

Episcopal Relief and Development: www.episcopalrelief.org

Either of the scholarships in her parents’ names at Luther College: www.givenow.luther.edu

Then specify:

The Marjorie Olney Running Memorial Scholarship

The Orville M. Running Memorial Art Scholarship

Marjorie Julia Running Wharton was born in Chicago, IL, on June 14, 1944, to the Rev. Orville Running and Mrs. Marjorie Olney Running. She was the third of four children. The family moved to Decorah, IA in 1946, where her father began his career as a professor of art at Luther College.

When in high school, Grace Episcopal Church called her to play for services. Marjorie, as a good Lutheran pastor’s daughter, said, “No.”

Her mother asked, “Who was that?”

“The Episcopal Church they want me to play for services.”

“Call them back and tell them yes.”

Marjorie learned that at Grace, the words were the same, the tunes were different, and there was more choreography. She played on the mighty Hammond spinet through her graduation from Luther in 1966. Then headed to Tulane in New Orleans, where she met her Uncle Joseph’s friend, the Rev. George Wharton, III. George and Marjorie were engaged by February and married on June 11, 1967. For 52 years, they shared the same loves: the love of the church, the love of family, and the love of art, music, and ideas.

Her son Philip was born first. Julia, a year later, just after Marjorie completed her MA in French at Tulane. After George’s mother’s death, the family headed north to Iowa. Both believed in public education; Iowa’s was one of the top systems in the country, and Marjorie’s family would be much closer. In 1979, the family moved to Decorah, where George took the call to serve Grace Episcopal, and Marjorie returned to play that same Hammond spinet. (AKA, the toaster oven—and finally in the 1990’s, George was able to attain his goal to get his wife a real instrument, and Grace Church purchased one of Luther College’s practice organs.)

Upon arriving back in Decorah, Marjorie studied piano with Dr. John Strauss. After a short while, Dr. Strauss offered her an adjunct position to teach piano. Marjorie immediately began taking music courses. She needed to know more than her students!

Marjorie continued her studies and received a DMA from the University of Iowa. Her thesis on her favorite composer, Francis Poulenc, combined her three areas of expertise: music, art, and French poetry. She presented throughout the United States, in France, and in the UK on Poulenc’s songs and his inspiration from art. She was invited to write an article for the centenary volume on Poulenc’s birth, Francis Poulenc: Music, Art and Literature. She taught at Luther College for over 25 years and upon her retirement was awarded the status of professor emerita.

She is survived by her two children and her sister Kristi Carlson.