Marie Scruggs Obituary

Scruggs
Marie Scruggs
July 8, 1930
March 23, 2024

On March 23, 2024, Bernice Marie Scruggs (Dutch) passed away peacefully into the arms of Jesus. Then, we're certain that Marie jumped into the arms of her Daddy who passed away when she was six years old. Although we mourn her loss, we are relieved that she is no longer suffering from congestive heart failure and the pain of shingles-related postherpetic neuralgia.
Marie was born to Joseph Emmett and Hazel Marie Dutch (Hum) on July 8, 1930 in Petersburg, OH. She graduated from North Beaver Township High School in Mount Jackson, PA, where she met Paul Scruggs. The high school sweethearts were married on May 28, 1948 in New Castle, PA and began a 55-year life together as an Air Force family in Harrisburg, PA, followed by seven years in England, three years each in Washington, DC and Hawaii, 20 years in California and 40 years in Colorado Springs.
Marie was an accomplished seamstress having skills that ranged from creating elaborate wedding dresses to clothing for herself and her family. She was fascinated with family history, so using her first computer in 1990 and genealogy software, she began researching our family's history. She enjoyed playing the piano (especially in church and nursing homes), jigsaw and crossword puzzles, board games, and watching Jeopardy and Bronco games. She loved to travel, visiting all 50 states, the Canadian provinces, many European countries, and 73 National Park Service locations. Marie was a lifelong learner, even learning Greek and new software programs in recent years. Perhaps most of all, she loved to write and teach.
Marie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul in 2003, parents, sons Paul "Duane" and Darrell Scruggs, brothers Carl and Gordon Dutch, and sister Jean St. Clair. She is survived by her children Dennis (Suzan) Scruggs and Dale (Melissa) Scruggs of Colorado Springs, Diane (Rich) Palmer of Woodland Park, and Debbie "DJ" Scruggs of Albuquerque, NM. Also surviving are grandchildren: Clint Scruggs and Angie Birdsong; Michal Schneider, Brianne Stecko and Cydney Pié; Sheri Lohmann and Darrell Scruggs, Jr.; Garrett and Mitchell Palmer; Melinda Frugé and Dalton and Dillon Scruggs; and Bradley Schiro. She is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren. And because she didn't have enough children calling her "Mom," she also "adopted" Anterro Graham and Philip Flowers!
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2024, 2:00 pm, at Aspen Trail Retirement Resort, 5455 New Car Drive, Colorado Springs, CO, followed by a graveside burial for family at a later date at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.