The mother of Simpson’s creator, Matt Groening passed away recently. Groening is an American cartoonist, producer, animator, author, musician, voice actor and he wrote the popular TV show, The Simpsons, and his mother’s obituary shows exactly where most of the character names for his signature come from.

Groening’s mothers obituary was published in the Oregonian on 6 May 2013 and read:

Groening, Margaret Ruth 94 March 23, 1919 April 22, 2013 Margaret Groening died peacefully in her sleep on April 22, 2013, in Portland. Born Margaret Wiggum on March 23, 1919, in Chisolm, Minn., Margaret was 94 years old. Margaret’s parents, Matt and Ingeborg Wiggum, met on the boat coming to America from Norway. They settled in Everett, Wash., where the paper mill “smelled like money,” and Matt worked as a machinist. As high school valedictorian and Miss Everett, Margaret’s highest honor was being named May Queen of Linfield College. She graduated from Linfield in 1941 and married classmate Homer Groening, whom she chose because he made her laugh the most. Margaret taught high school English before starting a family, and her love of language was apparent in the many Double-Crostics she completed (in ink). Margaret and Homer supported the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Trail Blazers and many local yarn shops (Margaret was a talented needlework artist). Besides Homer, Margaret was preceded in death by her oldest daughter, Patty, who died in Jan., 2013. She is survived by her brother, Arnold; her children, Mark, Matt, Lisa and Maggie; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family thanks the wonderful caregivers from Visiting Angels and the hospice nurses from Housecall Providers. Special appreciation also goes to loyal friend, Grace Clark.

There you have it. Homer, Lisa, Maggie and Patty – pretty much everyone’s there, barring Bart. And of course Margaret herself was the inspiration for Marge Simpson.

 The character, Marge Simpson, and Matt Groening’s mother, Margaret Groening.

[Source: Oregan Live]