Margaret Skidmore

Margaret Skidmore Richland Margaret Skidmore, 77, was born November 28, 1933 in Battle Creek to Winona Margaret Smith and Herbert Floyd "Brick" Smith. She died December 4, 2010 at home. She was a 1951 graduate of Battle Creek High School and a 1955 graduate of Eastern Michigan University. In 1956, she married Gary Skidmore who survives her. They have two daughters, Joan (Mark) Kuipers of Grand Rapids, and Linda (Bob) Van Dis of Kalamazoo. Her kindness, strong will, easy laugh, and great love of family is carried on by her grandchildren, Jacob Kuipers, and Matthew, Kerry, and Erik Van Dis. Margaret was first and foremost a wife, mother, and grandmother. Yet she was a close and loyal friend to many people. She was a great conversationalist and a wonderful listener. She loved to entertain and was happiest when surrounded by or talking on the phone to her friends and family. She and Gary traveled extensively over the years, and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii and dinner with her family. She served over 30 years as an educator for the Battle Creek Public Schools, the last twenty serving as principal of Roosevelt and Post Elementary schools until her retirement in 1996. There she touched thousands of lives as a teacher and principal. She valued her staff, parents, and students greatly, and it was clear that they felt privileged to work under her guidance. Margaret was a very active community member, serving on the boards of the Sherman Lake Y Center, Battle Creek Junior Achievement, and Family and Children's Services of Kalamazoo. She was also a member of the Battle Creek Art Center, United Arts Council, Battle Creek Country Club, First Congregational Church, the "One and Onlies", and the CR Chapter of the PEO Sisterhood - having serving recently as as their president. Her love of life, great generosity, strong opinions, and wonderful spirit will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all those she cherished as family and friends. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m.Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at Shaw Funeral Home. Services will take place 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at the funeral home with Rev. Thomas Ott, First Congregational Church, officiating. Private interment, Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial donations may go to Battle Creek Community Foundation. The family is being served by Shaw Funeral Home. www.shawfuneralhome.com