All the Way from Yoakum
by Marjorie Meyer Arsht
ISBN: 1-58544-476-6
Texas A&M University Press 2006
At the age of 93, Marjorie Meyer Arsht has published her life's story. She was born into a priviledged family with connections from Texas to Louisiana and New York. Her mother, Myrtle Levy of Lake Charles, Louisiana married her father, Marchell Achille Meyer of Yoakum, Texas. Her father was of modest means working as manager of a logging camp. Her mother was the daughter of a successful merchant in Lake Charles and the niece of famous couturier Henri Bendel of New York. When they settled in Yoakum there were only two or three other Jewish families in town.
Marjorie was an only child until the age of nine when her sister Elene was born. Throughout the years this sibling relationship was strained at best.
Marjorie was highly educated, especially for the time. She became a teacher and enjoyed a brief career in the profession. She studied at The Sorbonne and spoke fluent French.
Marjorie married Raymond Arsht in 1938 after a short, whirlwind romance. This union produced two daughters and a son. She was an enthusiastic hostess entertaining regularly for pleasure and for her husband's business needs. Ray was a lawyer and later in the growing oil business.
Marjorie has a passion for politics and was a driving force in building the Republican party in Houston, Texas and later worked on statewide then national levels. She was active in the Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood. She also was a regent of Texas Southern University where she spearheaded much needed reforms.
Marjorie is now doing speeches and book signings for this book. It is an interesting story of a strong, independent woman making a difference as she lives life to the fullest. She is an inspiration.
Written by: Karen@ Pondering Penguin
