Marcia Ann Allington

In loving memory of Marcia Ann Allington (Dodge) who passed away on November 2, 2019 at the age of 77 in West Lafayette, Indiana. She was a passionate educator, a talented gardener, a super friendly and nurturing person, as well as a phenomenal mother and grandmother. Marcia was born on October 15, 1942 in Davenport. Iowa, the second of Leonard and Fern Dodge’s five children. She grew up in North Bend, Nebraska, along with her siblings and extended family. She excelled at playing the clarinet and singing, and was the only girl in her high school class to take physics. She was one of only two girls in her high school class to attend college and the first person in her family to do so.

She worked her way through college at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where she earned her B.A. in Elementary Education and went on to teach in Lincoln and then in Vermillion, South Dakota. She was forced to step down from teaching when she became pregnant with her first child (those were the rules in 1968). Marcia loved to travel and crisscrossed the United States multiple times on family trips (in a single engine airplane and by car) to visit family and explore from sea to shining sea. She also made three trips to Europe and never tired of discovering new places, old history and people of all varieties. She was fascinated by archeology and was a total melomane.

She was a “foodie” before it was “in.” An excellent and prolific chef at home, she also enjoyed discovering new restaurants during her frequent travels. But nothing really beat home-grown veggies from her own garden (her family agrees). After staying home with her young children (Elizabeth and John) until they were both in school, she went back to work at Orchard Country Day School in Indianapolis, where she eventually founded an accelerated program for gifted students. She adored teaching and interacting with children.

Marcia helped to organize a highly successful lobbying effort to get increased state funding for gifted education programs in Indiana. She was also a dedicated volunteer for the Democratic Party. She segued from teaching into her other life-long passion of politics by joining forces with Brad Senden in establishing a political consulting business. She was a Managing Partner of The Center for Community Opinion and Political Designs for 26 years. She and Brad helped school districts in many parts of the country plan and execute effective school bond issue campaigns.

After 25 years living and working in California, she returned to Indiana five years ago to be closer to family. She is survived by sister Nancy Carley (Jim), brother Jim Dodge (Sue), daughter Elizabeth Allington (Frédéric Marchand), son John Allington, and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Brad, her parents, sister Marilyn Dodge, and brother Timothy Dodge.

A celebration of Marcia’s life is planned for Saturday, November 16 (memorial gathering at 2:00 p.m. followed by a memorial service at 3:00 p.m) at Flanner Buchanan Washington Park North, 2706 Kessler Blvd. W. Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46228. In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Marcia may be made to the University of Nebraska Foundation (note “in memory of Marcia Allington”).