Member Tribute: Remembering Marjorie Motch

REMEMBERING MARJORIE MOTCH

By: Sarah L. Flohre

Marjorie Motch, remembered as an unflagging force of nature within the Junior League and Cincinnati, passed away in October. Born Marjorie Jean McCullough in 1923, Marjorie grew up in Hyde Park as an only child. In describing Marjorie’s commitment to service in her eulogy, Marjorie’s good friend and JLC member Judy Dalambakis shared, “her father taught her, her most important lesson - that was the meaning of responsibility […]. Her parents expected her to be involved in the community and become involved, she certainly did.” Within the League, Marjorie served as the National President of the Association of Junior Leagues (1960-1962) and chaired and founded the Cincinnati Children’s Theater and Nursery School for the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center. Marjorie also received the highest honor bestowed by the Junior League, the International Mary Harriman award, in 2000. In addition to the local projects Marjorie founded and fostered within Cincinnati, she is also remembered for raising the national profile of the Junior League with visits to the White House. Despite all these accomplishments, Marjorie’s community work went beyond the work she did for the League. She served as the National Board President of the Girl Scouts of America of the USA (1972-1975), and was the President and Founder of the Cincinnati Parks Foundation. She also was the President and Founder of the Urban League’s Guild (1953-1954), at a time when the need for Urban Leagues was not well-recognized. Judy recalls attending an AJLI conference with Marjorie years after she founded the Guild, where people lined up to thank her for all she had done for the community. These are just a few of Marjorie’s many roles and contributions to our community. Marjorie was a fun and gracious presence, despite the gravity of her accomplishments. If you helped her even a little bit, you could expect a written thank you letter within days, just as you could not expect her to attend an event without enjoying a glass of Jim Beam on the rocks. She was always asking to jump in, stuff envelopes or help out. In the words of former Cincinnati Parks Director Willie Carden, at a dinner in her honor, “If you don’t want to get things done, get the heck out of her way.” Marjorie is survived by her two daughters, stepchildren, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is greatly missed by her family and by all of her friends in the Junior League.

Marjorie Ittmann Motch (July 12, 1923 - October 11, 2021)

TOP: Ms. Marjorie Motch and First Lady Betty Ford greet Girl Scouts at the 1975 National Council Session. She served as the President of the National Board of the Girl Scouts from 1972- 1975. BOTTOM: Marjorie (second from left), together with Dr. Gloria Scott (left) during the same convention.