Margaret C. Lamitie

Lamitie, Margaret C.

Margaret Corriden
(McKillop) Lamitie, age
95, most recently residing in Boulder, Colorado,
died on June 19, 2023. Maggie Lamitie, as she was best known, was born on August 20th, 1927, in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Veronica Hazel McKillop and Edward Patrick McKillop. After her father died when she was young, her mother remarried, and she was then also lovingly raised by her stepfather Leo Boulais.

She was happily married to her beloved husband and companion of 45 years, Robert E. Lamitie. They were an extraordinary pair, and lived a lifetime of adventures together. She is survived by her four children Bob, Sarah, Carrie, and Hannah Lamitie. She was the proud mother-in-law of her daughter and sons-in-law, both deceased and present, including Doug Matthews, Joe Mirrione, Rob Beard, Makiho Nomita, and Eric Maxfield. She has many grandchildren both from her own children, as well as those joyfully acquired from sons-in-law including Claire, Finley, Maggie, Tom (and his wife Elizabeth), Mike (and his wife Lynz), Avery, Aaron, Zach (and his wife Danielle), Ivy, Holden and Eliza. Her great grandchildren include Leo, Serafina, and Theo. Maggie was also grateful for her loving nieces and nephews Patti Keating, Peggy Cunningham, Ed Kelleher, and Rick Kelleher.

Maggie was an adventurous and independent spirit from the start. She left Smith College after two years to venture across the country with her dear friend Paula Keilson, working along the way to earn enough to reach the west coast. The trip included working at a dude ranch in Wyoming just west of Yellowstone National Park, where she discovered the beauty of the American West. She made her home in San Francisco for five years where in many ways she did leave her heart. She hiked and camped throughout the High Sierra. After returning back east, she met Bob in a ski group in the Northeast, and that was that. Skiing was a joyful thread between them for their entire lives that they passed on to their children and grandchildren. Maggie and Bob worked or volunteered on ski patrol over many decades.

Maggie finished her Bachelors Degree, and two Masters Degrees while raising four children. She had a long and rewarding career as a geriatric Social Worker.

Maggie (and Bob's) world travels were too extensive to summarize. They brought their four young children on ski trips in Europe (and snuck off for a few without the kids as well). They lived in China for five or six years after retiring, and taught English in several universities. They travelled all over Asia during those years. They spent much of their retirement years in Leadville, Colorado, and at the local ski area, Ski Cooper, where they found a dynamic community and many new friends. After Bob died in 2003, Maggie continued her travels both independently, and with many friends and family members, including spending two summers volunteering in West Africa. It became a family joke that for the past many years she would say... "this is my very last trip"...but we knew better. Her actual last trip was about nine months ago, when she traveled to Croatia at the age of 95, with her dear friend Elfie, niece Patti Keating, and grand-nephew Cameron Keating.

Maggie was a proud and active Democrat, growing up with FDR as President. Wild horses could not have kept her from the ballot box, especially in 2016 and 2020. She viewed courage as a necessary part of living a life with integrity. She was dedicated to civic engagement, community activism, equality, education, lifelong learning, physical activity, and a deep love for the outdoors. She was actively involved in leadership roles in the PTA while her children were in school. She did not shy away from controversial topics including advocating for bussing to support equitable access to high quality education across the Buffalo, NY area. During those years she co-founded a neighborhood group of like-minded friends to promote racial equity locally known as Neighborhood Efforts for Equal Dignity (NEED). Maggie was an avid reader of history and biographies. She believed deeply in personal autonomy, including at the end of one's life. She was deeply dedicated to her family, and was a loving, devoted and supportive mother and grandmother, even to her very last moments.

Maggie enjoyed the company of and conversations with many loving friends and family members during her last weeks. She died peacefully in her home in the presence of her loving family. We are grateful to have been a part of her remarkable life. She will be deeply missed, and will always be with us.