Marge Simpson Was An Iron Ranger; Simpson Creator Matt Groening’s Mother Passes Away – Obituary Details That She Was Born In Chisholm

Confession time:  I have never watched The Simpsons.  But - being that the iconic cartoon has been around for decades, I am aware of the show and the character names.  But I didn't know that one of the principal characters - Homer's wife Marge - was from Chisholm.  Well, maybe not her ink-drawn self  - but her namesake - the mother of creator Matt Groening.  Margaret Groening passed away April 22nd in Portland Oregon at the age of 94.

As Margaret Wiggum, she was born March 23, 1919 in Chisholm, Minnesota to Matt and Ingeborg Wiggum.  After she married Homer Groening, they had five children:  Mark, Matt, Lisa, Maggie, and Patty.

While sincere sympathies go out to Mr. Groening and his family for the loss of their beloved, even casual fans have pointed out that Marge (as in Marge Simpson), would be the shortened version of Margaret.  It's also apparent that Mr Groening borrowed his fathers name for Homer, and two of the Simpson siblings - Lisa and Maggie - were also named for his own siblings.  It's also apparent that Groening used his mothers maiden name as the name of another character, too.

But who knew that Marge Simpson was an Iron Ranger?

Read the complete obituary here.

RIP: Matt Groening’s mother — for whom Marge Simpson is named — dies at 94 - Comic Riffs - The Washington Post.