Margaret Menges

MATHEWS - Margaret Post Smith Menges of Hudgins, Mathews County, Va., died at her home at the young age of 98 after a brief illness on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009.
Mrs. Menges was born on Sept. 17, 1911, in the North End of Newport News.
The widow of the late Martin J. Menges, who died in 1994, she was preceded in death by her parents, Godfrey Lewis Smith and Miriam Lodewick Post Smith. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Walter Post Smith of Hampton and Godfrey L. Smith Jr.; and her sister, Elizabeth S. Lambiotte of Newport News; her niece, Sally Mac Brown of Utah; and nephew, Godfrey L. Smith III of Hampton.
Mr. Smith was the head of the civil engineering department at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.
Her uncle, Walter A. Post, was instrumental, along with Collis P. Huntington, in the founding of the Newport News shipyard in 1886 and was the first manager and later president of the shipyard. Mr. Post also was the first mayor of the City of Newport News and founded First National Bank in Newport News.
Mrs. Menges is survived by her four children, Louise Then Menges and her husband, Frederick M. Blystone, of Williamsburg, Miriam Post Menges of Hudgins, Dr. Martin J. Menges Jr. of Newport News, and Charles Lodewick Menges and his wife, Penelope W. Kyle, of Richmond; and by her grandchildren, Deborah A. Helseth and her husband, Glenn O. Helseth, of Williamsburg, Katherine H. Menges of New York City, Elizabeth R. Menges of Boston, Rebecca E. Menges of Boston, and Kyle W. Menges, Penelope Whitley Menges and Patricia Lee Menges of Richmond. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Doris Desper Smith of Hampton; her niece, Miriam L. Mason of Hampton; and nephews, Dr. J. J. Lambiotte and his wife, Nora Ann of Yorktown and Walter P. Smith and his wife, Pat of Candler, N.C.
Mrs. Menges graduated from Newport News High School in 1929 and received a B.A. in French and English, with a minor in education, from the College of William and Mary in 1933. At William and Mary, she belonged to Kappa Delta Pi, J. Leslie Hall Literary Society, the French Club and the YWCA.
Beginning in 1935, she taught English, French and social studies for five years at Newport News High School. She married Martin J. Menges of Hampton on June 15, 1940 and moved to Seaford in York County in 1941. While a resident of Seaford, she was president of the Seaford Women's Club, a member of Zion Methodist Church, chairman of the annual American Cancer Society fund drive, treasurer of the York County Little League, fundraiser for the American Heart Association and active in the Women's Auxiliary of the York County Volunteer Fire Department. During World War II, she conducted classes for knitting caps for servicemen, and she and her husband were airplane observers in Seaford. She was a charter member in 1954 of Yorkminster Presbyterian Church in Grafton, where she taught Sunday School for many years.
In 1973 she and her husband and daughter Miriam ("Postie") moved to Hudgins in Mathews County. In Mathews, Mrs. Menges was a member of the Mathews Women's Club, memorial chairman of the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, volunteer instructor with the adult education program, volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels, and a Red Cross volunteer for many years.
Her kindness toward others, her selflessness, and the warm welcome that she always extended to friends and strangers alike will be sorely missed.
The family will receive friends at the Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home in Mathews from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, at Mathews Baptist Church in Hudgins. Burial will follow in the H. C. Smither Memorial Cemetery.
In memory of Mrs. Menges, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society at 11835 Canon Boulevard, Suite 102A, Newport News, VA 23606 or to a charity of your choice. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.