'Marge Simpson' Inspiration Dead at 94

You might recognize some names in the obituary published yesterday for Margaret Ruth Groening, who died last month at age 94: She was married to Homer and had two daughters named Lisa and Maggie ... plus a son named Matt, of Simpsons fame. Yes, Margaret Groening was the inspiration for Marge Simpson, and here's a sweet line from her obituary about why she chose Homer Groening for her husband: "He made her laugh the most." Groening also had a third daughter, Patty, and a second son, Mark.

Groening never actually went by "Marge," the Oregonian notes, but many equated her with the TV mom nonetheless. As one commenter wrote to Matt in the online obituary guest book, "Your mom became everyone's mom." The Simpsons creator has said more than once that the characters were named after his family; he even gave one character, Chief Wiggum, his mom's maiden name. (More Matt Groening stories.)