Margaret Woolley

Woolley, Margaret
May 5,1920 - October 17, 2009
Margaret Vail Woolley died October 17, 2009 from Alzheimer's disease. She was 89. Margaret was one of the few woman attorneys of her day. She was a civic leader in the South Bay during the 1950's, 60's and 70's. She was also one of the owners of Santa Rosa Island before it became part of the Channel Islands National Park.
Margaret, a fourth generation Californian, was born on May 5, 1920 in Los Angeles, California. She was an excellent student, graduating from Scripps College in 1941. Later, she earned her law degree from Loyola Law School where she was the only woman in her class. Margaret married Boris Stauffer Woolley in 1951 and they had four children, John, Louise, Susan and Will. In addition to marriage, she and Boris were business partners operating the law firm Woolley & Woolley in Torrance for more than thirty years.
As a civic leader, Margaret was involved in Republican politics. She wrote a political column for the Daily Breeze, opposing the views of fellow columnist and longtime friend Rosemary De Camp. As President of the Board of Directors for Torrance Memorial Hospital, she oversaw the merger of Torrance Memorial with Riviera Community Hospital in 1967 as well as the effort to raise funds for and to build the new Torrance Memorial facility at its present location. She was named Torrance Citizen of the Year for her efforts in 1971. Additionally, she was one of the original board members for the Drew Medical Center in south central Los Angeles. Later, she sat on the Board of Directors of the Switzer Center, a private school for children with learning disabilities.
After retiring from business and civic affairs in the early 1980's, she traveled extensively, visiting her children, to be sure, but also seeing sights all over the world. At the end of her travels she had touched six of the seven continents.
Her beloved Santa Rosa Island played a central role throughout her life. As a young girl, she rode horseback with her father, helping him and the other cowboys gather cattle on the island ranch. Her brothers Al and Russ were her business partners and friends for decades. She was an excellent horsewoman, able to ride well into her 80's. She exercised her fine intellect at the Island as well, learning about archeology, anthropology, ornithology and geology.
Margaret was a great mother, not only to her children but to many others as well. Her home always seemed to be "grand central station" for her children and their friends. She treated kids like they were people, and, mostly, they rose to her level.
Margaret loved music, horses, dogs, the theater and the Dodgers. Most of all, she loved her family. We will miss her very much.
Margaret is survived by her children Louise Miller (Kurt), Susan Woolley (Gary Allen), and Will Woolley (Darian Buckles); Daughter-in law Margie Woolley, her grandchildren Margaret, Amy, Carmen, James, Katherine, Zachary, Jacob, Emily and John; and great grandchildren Patrick and Mathias. She was preceded in death by her husband Boris and her son John.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, 1014 East Altadena Drive, Altadena, California.
The family has requested, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Margaret Vail Woolley to Scripps College Scholarship Assistance, Scripps College, 1030 Columbia Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711, Attention: Office of Development.