Marjorie “Marge” Jumper succumbed to a long illness on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. Marjorie is survived by her husband of more than 52 years, Eric Jumper; her two children, Eric J. Jumper, Jr., and Christine A. Barnhorst; her seven grandchildren, Sara, Zoe, Eric III, Marcella, Audrey, Isabel and Laura; and her sister, Ann Molzer. Many of the students and faculty from Marian High School in Mishawaka will remember Marge who was a mathematics teacher there for nineteen years.
Marjorie met Eric in college at the University of New Mexico, at age 17, when she was a freshman. She was born in Pueblo, Colorado, the day before Christmas in 1947 and attended grade school there. By Eric’s good fortune, her father, Clarence Stanko, took a job as plant manager in a newly-opened division of his Pueblo-based company; the new job was in Albuquerque, where she attended high school and began college in 1965.
Eric and Marge met at Franks Restaurant in Albuquerque and eventually had their first date—a basketball game and a beef-and-onion pizza at Casa Luna. The rest is history. They married between Eric’s junior and senior year; Eric was commissioned in the United State Air Force the next summer, and with newly-born son, Eric, Jr., they left for his first assignment to obtain a master’s degree at the University of Wyoming.
Marge needed only a few courses to complete her degree in mathematics with a minor in economics, which she completed that year in Laramie, where their daughter, Christine was born. Although Marge dreamed of being a high school mathematics teacher, she became a full-time mom until the children were in first and second grade, while living in Colorado Springs. Continuing to be a wonderful mother, Marge began her teaching career as computer programming and mathematics teacher at a Catholic High School in Colorado Springs.
The family then moved to Dayton, Ohio, where she finished her student teaching through the University of Dayton and began teaching in one of the public schools. Then in a meeting with the principal of Carroll High School, she was offered a job to set up their computer course and teach mathematics, beginning a long stint with Carroll. Then on to their last Air Force assignment, they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Marge took a job teaching in an Albuquerque High School and being the newest teacher, she was given the lowest-level algebra courses.
Marge had high expectations for the students, and she was able to make them want to achieve them. In order to graduate with a full diploma, Albuquerque students had to pass a mathematics exam; every one of her students passed it, while the so-called college-prep classes being taught by others, had a less than 75% success rate. Marge not only brought those students up to her expectations but she genuinely loved every one of them.
Then she was off to Marian High School in Mishawaka where she brought that same expectation and love to her students. Marge and Eric lived a wonderful loving life together. They often spoke of how they felt that God had a plan for them.
She will be terribly missed. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00pm on Monday, January 14, 2019 at St. Joseph Chapel at Holy Cross College, 54515 S.R. 933 North, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Private inurnment will take place after Mass at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame.
Friends may visit with the family from 4:00-7:00pm on Friday, January 11th at Palmer Funeral Homes—Hickey Chapel, 17131 Cleveland Road, South Bend, IN. Memorial contributions may be donated to Marian High School Scholarships, 1311 South Logan Street, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Online condolences may be left for the Jumper family at www.
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