Margaret Wilner Hut

1946 - 2022

HUT

MARGARET WILNER HUT

Margaret Wilner Hut, 76, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, died December 3, 2022, after a long battle with heart failure, COPD and dementia.



A lifelong Washingtonian, Margaret was born March 22, 1946, to Washington natives Amy and Dr. Paul Wilner. She was the middle of three siblings whose brothers supported her in every way and to whom she remained close all her life. She adored her parents and followed their guidance to put family first always.



A two-time "Quaker," Margaret attended the Sidwell Friends School and then migrated up the I-95 corridor to attend the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, she majored in political science (while happily eking out a passing grade in biology and gym) and was a member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. She was a proud alum of both schools, especially Friends, where she eventually sent her three kids and volunteered for nearly 20 years.



At Penn, Margaret began dating Steve Hut in their junior year. They married seven months after graduation in 1968; the marriage lasted almost 54 years and was a loyal and loving partnership, with three children and three grandchildren.



Margaret poured her energy first and foremost into running a home for her family, with daily home-cooked dinners, lots of laughter, attendance at school events, and unending advocacy and support for her kids. She instilled in them a drive to nurture their abilities and pursue career paths and activities that mattered to them, while also reminding them not to take things too seriously. She was especially delighted when she became a grandmother, and she showered her grandkids with attention and affection. She also made and maintained lifelong friends who treasured her self-deprecating wit, caring nature and passion for things she believed in.



Margaret balanced her family and social life with a career in journalism, managing and editing two D.C.-area parenting publications. In 1984 she joined Potomac Children, which she later owned and operated for many years before its merger with Washington Parent, where she served as the editor until her retirement. In her spare moments, she was a fan of Washington sports teams (she always had a soft spot for the underdog), Star Trek, genealogy (she was fascinated by her roots and curated the family tree), Grover Monster and the British monarchy (she wrote to the Queen as an 11-year-old, reportedly hoping the Queen would find her a pen pal, and received a response from a lady-in-waiting – but no pen pal; Margaret proudly displayed the return letter for years in her powder room). She avidly followed news and politics and supported several environmental causes, an affinity born out of her fondness for animals and nature.



Margaret was a fan of hot weather and the rare lover of Washington summers. She always looked forward to numerous trips each year to her home in Bethany Beach, Delaware – most of all when the whole family was able to gather there.



Margaret is survived by Steve; children Nick, Chris (Yvonne Schindler) and Katie (Ben Levy); grandchildren Charlie and Sasha Levy and Mona Friedland; brothers John Wilner and Richard Wilner and their wives Carol and Sue (and five nieces and nephews); in-laws and their children; and numerous closely connected cousins and their families.



A celebration of life is being planned for early spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Sidwell Friends School or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.