Margaret Davey McIntire

Margaret D. McIntire, a long-time Mackinac Island resident and owner of the Hotel Iroquois until 2020, passed away in Naples, Florida on April 6, 2022. Her proudest achievements were her wonderful family, the Hotel Iroquois with its rich traditions of hospitality and service, and interests and friendships that knew no bounds. An avid traveler who loved exploring the world, Margaret was 95 at the time of her passing.
Known for her fun-loving spirit, graciousness, abundance of style and strong business acumen, Margaret was born August 5, 1926 in Grand Rapids to Albert and Catherine Davey. She graduated from Aquinas College where she was vice-president of her class. While in college she worked at Herpolshimer's department store, which sent her to the Island in 1945 to work at its summer store. During her second summer on the Island, Margaret met her husband, Sam, a Michigan State Trooper assigned to the Island.
Margaret and Sam were married in 1949 and settled in East Lansing where Sam continued his career with the state police as a member of Governor G. Mennen Williams' protection detail. When Sam left the state police in 1951, he and Margaret purchased a gas station in Detroit. Three years later, in 1954, they purchased the Hotel Iroquois and moved to the Island with their two young daughters. When Sam passed away in 1988, Margaret and her daughters assumed control of the hotel, cementing the traditions that made it the iconic landmark it is today.
Margaret prided herself on details and sought perfection, a quality that more than 5,000 employees came to respect over the decades she was at the helm. Margaret believed, as Alice Waters wrote, that "beauty is the language of care." So it would come as no surprise that Margaret could be seen running her finger along a windowsill to check for dust to make sure things were just "so" at the Hotel Iroquois. Along with her family, Margaret grew the beloved small island boarding house into an award winning glistening gem. She created a place that generations of families, islanders, and employees loved equally.
Margaret was a founding board member of the Mackinac Island Community Foundation and as an avid reader she took great pride in her long-time membership on the Mackinac Island Library Board. Her love for the Island extended to support for the Mackinac Island Medical Center, the Mackinac Arts Council, the Mackinac Island Public School, the Mackinac Island Fire Department and all three faith communities: Ste Anne's Catholic, Trinity Episcopal and the non-denominational Little Stone church.
Margaret McIntire is survived by her three daughters: Mary Kathleen McIntire (Mackinac Island and Ann Arbor), Rebecca McIntire Barnwell (Mackinac Island and Naples, FL), and Margaret Ann McIntire (Mackinac Island and St. Ignace); five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and her sister, MaryAnn Jackman. Margaret was preceded in death by her loving husband, Sam; her son, Aaron; a brother, Arthur Davey and two sisters, Patricia Hamilton and Arletta Abbey.
A private burial will be on Mackinac Island. Friends are invited to a memorial reception at the Hotel Iroquois Thursday, June 30, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Friends wishing to honor Margaret may make a memorial contribution to the World Central Kitchen (WCK), World Central Kitchen, Attn: Donor Services, 200 Massachusetts Ave NW, 7th Floor, Washington D.C. 20001 or https://wck.org