Marjorie Lois (Johnson) Carmony

Marjorie Lois Johnson Carmony, 96, of Manilla passed away on Monday, September 22, 2025, at Major Hospital in Shelbyville.

Marjorie was born February 16, 1929, in Indianapolis on North Sherman Drive, the daughter of George Lyle and Stella Edna (Caplinger) Johnson. On August 26, 1962, she married her husband of 57 years, Wayne Hertzel Carmony, at the Grace United Methodist Church, in Indianapolis, where she was baptized in 1929. She was active in that church until moving to Rush County, near Manilla, in February 1963. Wayne preceded her in death on September 3, 2019.

Marjorie is survived by her treasured nieces and nephews of her husband; David Carmony and wife, MaryAnne, of Anderson, Bob Carmony and wife, Robin, of Shelbyville, and Thom Carmony and wife, Vicki, of Anderson, Joan Semenuk and husband, Nick, of Yarmouth, Maine, Robin and Jodie Webster, of Manilla and many great and great-great nieces and nephews, who were very important to her.

She also is survived by God Daughter, Amanda Wright Matney and beloved lifelong friend, Sib Able, of Indianapolis.

Marjorie graduated from grade school Ralph Waldo Emerson No. 58 in 1942 and attended the 100th Anniversary of that school.

In 1946 she graduated from Thomas Carr Howe High School with honors. High schools did not have an active girls' sports program at that time, but the Indianapolis Park System sponsored Girls Sports. Marjorie was active in Soft Ball, Tennis, Volley Ball, and Basketball. Her team won in Basketball and Tennis.

Marjorie and Wayne became members of Zion Evangelical Church in April, 1964, where she was the first woman to serve on the council.

She also served as president of the Women's Guild and played on the Zion Women's softball team.

Marjorie and Wayne enjoyed meeting friends from Grace Church, The Grace Group, for lunch each month in Indianapolis.

Marjorie was an employe of L. S. Ayres & Co. from 1946 to 1963 where she worked in personnel, merchandising and as a Training Supervisor. She participated in the opening of the Ayr-Way Discount stores, L. S. Ayres at Glendale and Washington Square, and Lafayette, Indiana.

She was a charter member of the Manilla Town and Country Homemakers Club, The Indianapolis Zoo, The National Museum of the American Indian. She and Wayne were both charter members of Conner Prairie at Noblesville, Indiana.

Other organizations that she enjoyed were Homemakers Social Study Club, P.E.O., Bridge Family, Manilla Amicitia, The Book Review Club in Rushville, The Wednesday Speaker's Luncheon at the Durbin Hotel, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Children's Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana Audubon Society, Boone, Rush, Shelby, Marion, and Indiana Historical Societies, Nature Conservancy, Oak Heritage Conservancy, American and Indiana Birding Association, Rush County Humane Society, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, President Benjamin Harrison Home Society, Oxbow Wildlife, Inc., American Air Museum in Britain, and Indiana Landmarks.

She was a 50-year member of the Irvington Chapter of Eastern Star Lodge No. 364, and a lifetime member of the Gamma Chapter, Tri Chi Sorority.

In addition to Wayne, Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Clyde Fleming Johnson, Jon and Frankie Webster, Mark Webster, Anne Vaprin, and God Son, Donald Lynch.

Marjorie moved to the Carmony farm in Rush County near Manilla in February of 1963. Marjorie greatly enjoyed being a farm wife, helping with the swine operation, driving a John Deere tractor, planting and harvesting of crops, bailing hay, and working in her gardens of vegetables and flowers.

They enjoyed traveling and she had traveled to 18 countries on Nature Tours and accumulated a Bird Life List of over 2,000, and many treasured birding friends. She loved all of nature, especially her beloved cats, and birds. She is survived by her last cat, Little Blue, who continues to rule the farm!

Her love of reading led to friendships of authors, mainly via e-mail. She functioned as a copy-proofreader for one author, and was mentioned in the book when it was published. She frequently gave book reviews for groups.

Marjorie was very proud of her Native American Cherokee heritage, her great-great-grandmother, Redbird, from Virginia. Redbird married John Wall, a Hession soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War, and moved to what became Boone County, Indiana near a little town of Advance, and developed farm land and a homestead.

She treasured memories of visits to her father’s family in Huntington, Pliny, and Frazier’s Bottom, West Virginia. Her Grandfather, Volney Curtis Johnson, was a shoemaker. Her Grandmother Amanda, was a quiet, dignified lady, eager to share her memories.

One of Marjorie's most treasured memories was meeting and shaking the hand of Wendell Willkie. Wilkies' wife, Edith, was a native of Rushville, Rush County, Indiana. Willkie made his Presidential Campaign Headquarters there in 1940. One Sunday afternoon Marjorie and her Dad drove over the Rushville and waited outside the Willkie home. Mr. Willkie came out, visited with his visitors and shook hands. An exciting moment. Philip Willkie and his wife Virginia were dear friends of Marjorie and Wayne's, and they had visited each other in their homes.

Another great moment was when she met Bobby Kennedy, and shook his hand in Richmond, Indiana, many years later. She also saw Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip riding in an open convertible down the streets in Chicago in the '50's. A full life lived!

A bible verse that Marjorie loved is Isaiah 49:15, “See! I will not forget you. . . I have carved you on the palm of my hand”. Her favorite hymn was "His eye is on the sparrow, so I know that he watches me".

Visitation will be from 10 to 11:30 am on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at Zion Evangelical Church, 7025 ECR 100 N, Shelbyville.

Funeral services will follow at the church, with Pastor Ryan Hicks officiating.

Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville.

Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville.

Memorial contributions to Zion Evangelical Church.

Online condolences may be shared with Marjorie’s friends and family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.