HILLSBOROUGH - Marcia Wells Argo died peacefully late Wednesday evening, August 12, 2020, surrounded with the love of her family, after living a giving life of 98 years. She was born in Crawford, Georgia, March 19, 1922, living equal parts of her adult life in Toccoa GA and Hillsborough NC. Her young family moved to Savannah during WWII, where she was bookkeeper for the Public Housing Authority and secretary at Juliet Lowe's Homeplace and Museum. Marcia began her career as an educator in Arnoldsville, Ga. In 1941, and over 30 teaching years later in Stephens Co./Toccoa and Habersham Co. Georgia she took her first retirement. Her teaching did not stop there as she and husband J.C. moved to Hillsborough, N.C. where children benefited for another 14 1/2 years. Retiring from the classroom at age 83, Marcia gave 50 plus years to the education of America's youth. She sometimes taught several generations of the same families and she and J.C. were recognized everywhere. Her favorite teaching partner was her husband, J.C. Argo (Buddy) and they taught together for 35 years.

Her classroom was everywhere, from the kitchen table, sitting on the ground to formal classrooms. Everything she touched became a teaching tool. She would take a boll of cotton and have the children separate the seed, pull the fibers, twist the thread and demonstrated how to weave; plant lemon seeds in a paper cup to watch them grow and take home, taught math using popcorn, rocks or anything handy, taught phonics to a two year old or an adult older than herself, always expanding their horizons. In her spare time, she enjoyed creating art utilizing various mediums; collecting objects from wherever she visited; camping with Buddy and talking on the phone with all her lifetime friends and relatives. She was a lover of nature and nurturer of people.

Marcia attended Bessie Tift College and graduated from the University of Georgia, with her BA in Art Education, her Masters of Education, and her 6th Year as a Reading Specialist. She was a member of Associations of Education, the Exchange Club of Hillsborough, Hillsborough UMC and the UMC Alpha Circle.

Marcia was preceded in death by her parents, William Goss Wells and Ruby Banks Wells, step-fathers W. Oscar Ragsdale and Lloyd L. Whitley, an infant sister, Marcene Wells, and her lifelong sweetheart and husband of almost 70 years, James C. Argo. She is loved and survived by her three daughters Deryl A. McGuire (Michael), Brenda A. Bruni (Frank), and Carol A Denmark. She was Marsh to 12 grandchildren, Brian McGuire (Tammy), Sean McGuire (Beth), Marcene McGuire, James Bruni (Michelle), Nina Bruni Sayre (Michael), Monica Dailey (Brian), Danielle Mullis (Tommy), Brandon DiBois (Melissa), Samantha DiBois, Zach DiBois (Stacy), Carianne Denmark Terry (Stephen),Calen Denmark (Ashley), 23 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Marcia is also survived by her wonderful brother-in-law, E. Boyd Argo, and Sister-in law Betty Stephens Argo.

Very special people in Marcia's life living in NC have been Jim and Isabel Garland, loving neighbors and Kaye McPherson and Joyce Gentry, co-workers and dear friends for over 30 years. Thank you for loving her so much!

A Celebration of Life will be held later in Hillsborough. The graveside service will be held in Crawford, Georgia, Saturday, August 29, at 11:00 A.M.

The family would like to thank the Duke Hospice Team Serving Orange County. Donations can be made in her honor to the Exchange Of Hillsborough Prevention of Child Abuse, PO Box 565, Hillsborough, NC 27278; The Alpha Circle of Hillsborough UMC, 130 West Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC 27278; Duke Hospice 4023 North Roxboro Rd, Durham, NC 27704.