Margaret Carr passed away on Sunday, April 13, in the gentle, loving care of the staff at The Morrison Nursing Home in Whitefield. Family and friends kept constant vigil as she was tenderly eased to eternal life.
Margaret was born in Lancaster on April 28, 1911, the only daughter in a family of eight children born to Rollo and Jessie (Gallagher) Savage.
She attended the Great Rock School and graduated from Lancaster Academy, class of 1928. She worked at the Mountain View Grand Hotel in Whitefield before marriage to Richard Carr in 1932. They had been married 67 years when Richard died in 2000.
She was predeceased by an infant son, Richard William Carr, Jr. a daughter, Marilyn LaCroix , and a grandson, Daniel Wheeler, and by all seven of her brothers: Ernest, Arthur, Lyle, Sidney, Norman, Gilman and Leo.
She leaves a son, Allan Carr, of Lancaster, a daughter, Elizabeth Gilmore and her husband, Tony, of Hopkinton, and a son-in-law, Leon LaCroix, of Groveton, 11 grandchildren, several great and great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
She was active in the life of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Lancaster and St. Timothy's Chapel in Lost Nation, where she was married. At St. Paul's she served as director and treasurer of the altar guild, taught Sunday school, served on the vestry and was president and secretary of the St. Paul's Churchwomen.
She was a member of the Merry Homemakers' Extension group and was chosen Homemaker of the Year for Coos County in 1993. She belonged to the Unity Club for over sixty years and was an active member of the Lancaster Historical Society.
Margaret loved her family and her town. For many years she was the local correspondent for the Coos County Democrat and took special pleasure in writing features about local history. Her correspondences were delivered to the Democrat in lovely, very readable, longhand throughout the years. She was also intensely interested in family history and gathered information and shared her knowledge and memories of this history with others.
In 1996 she was interviewed for a Fritz Wetherbee episode of "Up the Road"; was the 2001 Lancaster Fourth of July Parade Marshal; and was awarded the 2003 Most Distinguished Alumnus Award of Lancaster Academy at the annual reunion, honored for 'taking an active part in keeping alumni informed of events of importance in the community and elsewhere'.
Calling hours will be held at the Bailey Funeral Home, Lancaster, on Wednesday, April 16, from 5-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Lancaster on Sunday, April 27 at 1 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Margaret's memory to St. Paul's Episcopal Church or to The Morrison Nursing Home.