Marjorie (Lawrence) Treeger Obituary

Marjorie Lawrence (Madge) Treeger died peacefully at home on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 91, her two daughters by her side.
Madge was born Marjorie Ann Levy in New York City on December 26, 1934 to Richard and Barbara Grant Levy, who changed the family surname to Lawrence in 1936. Madge attended Smith College for two years, transferring to the University of Michigan, from which she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1954 with a degree in art history. She met and married her adoring husband, Tom, in New York in 1961.

Upon moving to St. Louis in 1972, Madge went on to earn a master’s degree in counseling from Washington University and completed a practicum at Fontbonne College. After 12 years on the staff of the Wash U Student Counseling Service, she established a robust private psychotherapy practice. Madge completed a two-year advanced psychodynamic psychotherapy (APP) program at the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute. With her longtime friend and colleague, Madge co-authored the foundational book Letting Go; A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years, now in its sixth edition.

Madge found a strong anchor in the stability and security of relationships, grounding herself in the deep connections she cultivated throughout her life with family, friends, colleagues, and clients. She maintained close friendships across time and space and was an enthusiastic member of groups that fed her seeking, reflective spirit, including Diners and Talkers, Death and Dying Well, and Memoirs: Writing Life Stories. She was actively engaged in the community, serving as president of the APP Alumni Association, sitting on the board of the Scholarship Foundation, and volunteering as a museum docent, among other roles. Madge loved conversation, crossword puzzles, word games, and the beach. She will be remembered for her inquiring nature, perceptive insight, easy laugh, and sharp intellect.

Madge and Tom shared 58 remarkable years until his death in 2019. She is survived by her two daughters, Jennie (Dan) Bowen and Anne Treeger, and her four grandchildren, Gus Peters, Charlie Peters, Delilah Huck, and Clementine Huck. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 10 at 4:00 pm at Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Blvd. Donations may be made to BJC Hospice, The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, Central Reform Congregation, or a charity of your choice. May her memory always be a blessing.