Marjorie Rose Venter Hurlow

passed away April 9, 2016 at the Madison House on Bainbridge Island where she had been a resident since November, 2014. Marj was a beloved mother, grandmother, wife and artist who lead a rich, purposeful life filled with family, adventure and creativity. Marj was born July 1, 1927 in Buhl, Idaho to John Gedney Venter and Theresa Mary Standing. She attended University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, to earn a degree in Occupational Therapy. Marj then took a job in Baltimore, hoping to save money to head to Zurich. There she was encouraged to go on a blind date with a fellow named Bob Hurlow from Tacoma who was attending John's Hopkins University as a graduate engineering student. She had been tipped off "he might not be your type but could possibly introduce you to some frat boys." The story goes that after the second date Bob and Marj decided to get married! They did so on June 18, 1950 and enjoyed 64 years of marriage prior to his passing in July, 2014. They gave birth to Robert S. Hurlow and Nancy K. Hurlow. Bob and Marj seemed to find joy at every turn in life. They embarked on many pursuits in the manner of leaping first, looking later. This included the purchasing of a 23' foot Cub sailboat and a book on "How to Sail." Rob and Nancy have fond memories of life aboard ship with huge, orange Kapok life jackets, four letter words such as "tack" and "gybe" which usually meant duck and cover, and long family cruises to the far reaches of Desolation Sound, which really was desolate at the time. Boating soon became a family sport and passion as the boats continue to get larger and the ranges further. In 1980 the Corinthian Yacht Club "Boating Family of the Year" raced from Victoria to Maui with Marj creating meals for the crew from whatever she could muster while bracing herself against winds, waves, and a boat on a severe heel. When not on a boat, the family was off skiing, hiking, camping, or engaged in building a house. Bob and Marj were very much the do-it-yourself types and there seemed to be no task they would not undertake. Bob, an engineer at Boeing, came home from work one day in 1963 and casually said he had been asked to assist with a German aircraft design group and would the family like to move to Munich in three weeks. Always up for a new adventure, Marj heartily consented and the family spent a wonderful 18 months living in and touring Europe. Marj and Bob moved to Bainbridge Island in the mid-1970s and enjoyed life in a small community. They traveled extensively around the world, from Antarctica to Papua New Guinea and all points in between.Marj's real passion in life was her art. She loved making mudpies as a child and as an adult delighted in mucking in the handmade paper process. As a volunteer, she founded an art therapy for children undergoing bone marrow transplants at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.When her children were high school age, Marj attended the University of Washington to study sculpture. Back problems made working in bronze and stone difficult, so she turned to watercolor and later to paper. The aluminum Hollander beater in her Bainbridge studio, built by late husband Bob, has produced pulp from every imaginable material �from flax to blue jeans. Her work ranges from tribal-type masks to large-scale folding screens. Much of her art depicts images from her world travels, including the South China Sea and the Southwest United States where she was inspired by petroglyphs and pictographs created by the Anasazi Indians. Marj has been represented by Seattle and Bainbridge galleries and other juried shows throughout the Pacific Northwest. She taught paper making at Bainbridge High School and established an art scholarship there.Marj enjoyed all their adventures and pursuits, but nothing brought her more joy than her kids and grandchildren. She felt so fortunate to have Rob and Nancy and their spouses raising families on Bainbridge Island. She was a proud attendee of the many sporting events, band concerts, pumpkin walks, plays, and graduations. She never failed to provide loving support for each and every pursuit the family could muster. Her warm laugh, intrepid spirit and ability to find merriment and joy will endure in her family's hearts forever. She is survived by son Dr. Rob Hurlow (Kathleen), daughter Nancy Houghton (Todd, deceased) and five grandchildren: Brian, Scott and Chris Hurlow; Hugh Aaron and Julia Houghton.Remembrance can made to Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, PO Box 11413, Bainbridge Island WA 98110. Please sign the online guest book for the family. Arrangements entrusted to Cook family Funeral Home.