Margaret "Vogel" Sheldon

Margaret Vogel Sheldon, 82, of Thompson, Pennsylvania, died peacefully at home on Friday, August 15, 2025 after a long and meaningful life. In the weeks before her passing, she enjoyed many visits with family and friends.
Margaret was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Rudolf and Anita (Steiber) Vogel. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in physics and earned her Ph.D. in biophysics at the University of Chicago, where her research contributed to early studies of gene expression and mRNA. While in Chicago, she met and married her husband, Douglas Sheldon.
Margaret was known for her brilliance, curiosity, and persistence. She delighted in solving puzzles of all kinds, from crosswords to deciphering her own medical mysteries, for which she became a legend in the offices of her healthcare providers. She passed on her love of learning to her three sons, often teaching math and supervising science projects that were well beyond their grade level. Her keen intellect, determination, and guidance helped shape the next generation while inspiring those around her.
Family and community were central to Margaret's life. She was a dedicated member of the Jewish community of Scranton, where she raised her family. She served throughout her life in prominent leadership roles, including as president of the Jewish Federation of NEPA, Temple Israel, the Scranton chapter of Hadassah, and Webster Towers, and as a board member for numerous other organizations. Margaret also embraced the rural Pennsylvania community she married into, forming close bonds with her husband Douglas's large extended family and the community of Susquehanna County, where they retired in the house homesteaded by his ancestors four generations earlier. She cherished holiday gatherings and coordinated family activities with meticulous care. Margaret also enjoyed gardening, cooking, traveling, and kayaking, and she found joy in nurturing family traditions while creating new memories. Family vacations were especially treasured, from summer trips with extended family to Bennett Lake in Canada when her children were young, to more recent years at Ohana Family Camp in Vermont with her husband, sons, and grandchildren. In addition, Margaret and Douglas enjoyed adventurous travel to destinations such as New Zealand, Patagonia, and Africa.
She is survived by her husband, Douglas Sheldon; her sons, Joshua Sheldon of Cambridge, MA, and his daughters Elizabeth and Abigail; Brian Sheldon of Katonah, NY, and his spouse Jaewon and their sons Connor and Derek; and Daniel Sheldon of Amherst, MA, and his spouse Heather and their daughters Lillian and Anna. She is also survived by her sister, Juliet Vogel of Queens, NY. She is remembered by step-siblings Frank Sklarsky (Ruth) of Rochester, NY, and Kate Sternberg (Bob) of Reston, VA.
A funeral service was held on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Temple Israel in Scranton, followed by a burial at a beautiful site on the farm where she lived. Memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania or a charity of your choice.