Raised in England, she served for about four years in Britain’s Women’s Land Army during World War 2.
Amidst a long OE she stopped off in Queenstown in the late 1950s, working as a housemaid at Eichardt’s hotel when she met her husband-to-be, Ivan Reid.
They had two children, Marnie and Danny, however Ivan died when he was only 52 — Danny subsequently died in a skiing accident.
Margaret worked as a librarian at Queenstown Library for about five years, then opened a craft shop, The Spider Web, with Arrowtowner Jan Spary.
Her family home at Brecon St is still standing.
Marnie says she lived independently till only three years ago, and latterly was at the Arvida Country Club.
Blessed with long-living Irish genetics, ‘‘she had a broken hip last year for about a year and still she didn’t die’’.
‘‘She had dementia, but you could still have a conversation.
‘‘The girls at Arvida were saying the other day, ‘your mother, Margaret, is so nice, and we used to ask her why she lived so long and she said, ‘just be happy and don’t be greedy’.’’
A private funeral is being held, but her friends are invited to ‘Margaret Memorial Meeting’ at 2pm tomorrow at 11th Avenue by Frank’s.
