Marjorie Joy Spaur Cain

November 10, 1927 - July 17, 2026

“In her home, surrounded by family” describes the happy place for Marjorie Joy Spaur Cain, and in just that way she exited this life on July 17, 2026, at the age of 98.

Marjorie was born November 10, 1927, to Ruth and D.I. Spaur and spent her growing up years on the family farm south of Johnstown, CO. She rode horseback to grade school with her brother, Delbert, during the 1930s and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Johnstown in 1945.

Marjorie became a young bride and a young mother, raising four children with Richard Cain, whom she met and married when he returned home after serving in the Navy in World War II. The family was a mobile one — propelled by Richard’s itchy foot, they moved to many locations in Colorado, from Buena Vista to Boulder to Brighton — Salida to Loveland, and a few points in between. When they returned to Greeley in 1963, Marjorie put her foot down and insisted the family stay until their younger children could finish school. Still, the Spaur farm south of Johnstown was an anchor for the family and still is. Their kids lived and went to school in Greeley, resided in the old part of town, and spent weekends and summers on the farm.

When the family returned to Greeley and the children got older, Marjorie began to work outside the home — first at Weld County General Hospital (NCMC), then Brown’s College Store, and finally, the off-campus textbook store that she came to own. In 1985, she purchased the bookstore with daughter, Linde, and in 1992 they expanded and opened the local landmark Margie’s Java Joint, with their friend, Shawn Waggoner. For almost 20 years, Marjorie was the heartbeat and mother hen of the business, ordering textbooks for scores of professors at UNC. And when she wasn’t ordering textbooks, she was ordering lunch for the legions of young employees whom she continually tried to feed.

Textbooks were eventually mostly replaced by the internet, and Marjorie retired to the farm where she was raised. Forever a caretaker, Marjorie spent decades caring for her husband Richard, who died in 1993, her mother who passed in 1995, and her many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Marjorie’s oldest child, Karen Van Driel, preceded her in death in 2016, as did her brother, Harvey Spaur, in 2020. She is survived by her sons, Bart Cain (Loretta) of Buena Vista, CO; and Mic Cain (Phyllis) of Costa Rica; and her daughter, Linde Thompson (Ron) of Greeley. Marjorie is also survived by her older brother, Delbert, an independent, Weld County centenarian who lives on the family farm. Her grandchildren are Heidi Ross, Marty Van Driel, Tobi Cain, Erin Cain, Mickie Cain, Trevor Cain, Shawna Kincaid, Kacie Wheeler, Margaret Thompson, and Jane Thompson.

These grandchildren, and their 20 children are Marjorie’s living legacy. But also Margie’s Java Joint continues to honor her name, business, and work ethic. Since 2018, it’s been back in family ownership with her granddaughter, Margaret Thompson, and it’s there that friends and relatives will gather for a Celebration of Life, Thursday, July 30 at 4pm. Contributions in her honor can be made to Pathways Hospice, which assisted her in her final days at home, surrounded by family.