IRVINGTON—Margaret Antionette Northrop Alderson, at age 85 passed away peacefully on Wednesday July 14, 2021, at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury (RWC) in Irvington.
She was born on November 28, 1936, in Washington, D.C., to Vernon D. Northrop and Margaret L. Northrop (Lloyd).
“Marge” first met her husband the summer after completing her senior year in high school at a “social” held at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Marge and Donald M. Alderson Jr. married at the Naval Academy Chapel after his graduation ceremony where their life’s journey together all began.
Marge graduated from Monterey Peninsula College with an Associate in Arts, while her husband was attending the Naval Post Graduate School. She continued her education in the arts at Georgetown University but did not complete the under-graduate program after registering with the Art League where she received training and skills from known artists around the country. Over the years she became known for her passion of landscapes in particular trees, rivers and rocks and her agile ability to create her art using all mediums, oil, acrylic, watercolor, as well as different techniques and styles. She could do abstract as well as oriental and textured art.
In her 45-year career as an artist, she was an artist and instructor and held painting events around the world. She was one of the original artists that helped to create and lead the Alexandria Torpedo Factory to become a favored tourist stop. She retired as the director of the Torpedo Factory to care for her husband at RWC.
While living at RWC, she remained active in art community with the Rappahannock Art League and the RAL Gallery on Main Street in Kilmarnock.
She was generous with her time with friends and her family, she believed in lifelong learning and instilled this in her parenting of her four children. While moving around the country (on average every three years) until her husband retired, she continued to take additional classes in the crafts, sewing, quilting, knitting, framing and gardening.
Marge pre-decedents are her mother and father, Vernon and Margaret Northrop; her husband, Donald M Alderson Jr,; and her sister, Barbara Ann Northrop.
Marge is survived by her four children, Donald M. Alderson III, Greenwood, Miss., Barbara A Hennessy, Stafford, Brian K Alderson, Charleston, S.C., and Graham D. Alderson, Fredericksburg; and her eight grandchildren, Jennifer Alderson, Greenwood, Erin Alderson, Oklahoma City, Okla., Elizabeth Alderson, Charleston, Jessica Alderson, Charleston, Kit Alderson, Fredericksburg, Justin Alderson and Jonathan Alderson, Glen Allen, and Kerriann Resko (Alderson), Fredericksburg; and Marge’s first great-grandson, Dayen Resko, Fredericksburg.
She sought and had found the natural beauty in living a full life. Her family would like to share this celebration of her life as she waits to be reunited with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery.
Her family would like to invite all friends and the RWC family for her Memorial at 10 a.m., August 14, at the Currie Funeral Home in Kilmarnock to remember and to celebrate her life. We welcome your favorite stories and memories of our mother by posting them on the site wall.
