Marjorie "Marj" Matthaei, 90, died March 1, 2008, at Thorne Care Center.

She was born Jan. 10, 1918, in Washington, the daughter of Albert Lee and Florence Mabel Whetstine Higgins. She graduated in 1935, from Linn High School, and in 1940, from Kansas State University, with a degree in science, agriculture and journalism. She was a journalist.

She belonged to the United Methodist Church, was associated with Kansas State University News Bureau, working in the journalism department writing science articles for Hearst Publications. She had written Sunday School, Science and Religion articles for 21 denominations. She was the director of communications for the Kansas Area United Methodist Church for 25 years. She was an editor for Crossfire the Kansas West Conference Newspaper for nine years, and had written science articles for Nature Magazine.

On June 20, 1940, she married Milton Paul Matthaei in Washington. He died June 16, 1994.

Survivors include: two sons, Tim and wife Mary, Boyceville, Wis., and Mark, McPherson; two daughters, Sondra Matthaei, Independence, Mo., and Paula Tomlinson, Wichita; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Bill Higgins.

Cremation has taken place. Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1602 North Main, Hutchinson, with the Rev. Pat Ault-Duell presiding. Friends may sign the register from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Matthaei Scholarship, Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Mo., Trinity United Methodist Church, or Hospice Care of Kansas, all in care of the funeral home.