Margaret Mary Conner, 98, formerly of Longmont, Colorado, died on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at Genesis Medical Center, West Central Park Davenport after a short illness.
Per Margaret’s wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. There will be a memorial Mass on Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 11:15 a.m. at the Kahl Home Chapel in Davenport. Interment will be in the Conner family plot in St. Joseph Cemetery, Iowa City, with a graveside service from St. Patrick Church, to be held at 2:00 p.m. Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements. Memorials may be made to Kahl Home or Humility of Mary Housing.
Margaret was born on March 26, 1912 in Iowa City, Iowa to John and Mary (Dwyer) Conner. In 1914 her mother died, but her aunt Kate Conner helped rear Margaret and her sister, Catherine. Margaret graduated from St. Patrick High School, Iowa City. She received a BA and an MS degree from the University of Iowa, graduating with distinction and was elected to three national honor societies.
Margaret was an educator, beginning with Quimby High School where she taught home economics, English and Latin. She next taught food and nutrition at St. Joseph College in West Hartford, Connecticut where she served as department head. In 1943, Margaret joined a federal demonstration program in New York City, where she remained for 25 years. Margaret was requested by Mayor LaGuardia to present a nutrition program on the city station, WNYC. She held many local and state offices and received many professional honors and awards.
In 1971, Miss Conner and her sister retired early from their New York jobs to take a low-budget extensive five-month round-the-world trip with a college friend. They retired to Longmont, Colorado, where they enjoyed parish life, bridge club and dear friends. Margaret was named an outstanding alumna by the Home Economics Department of the University of Iowa. She used public transportation, never owning or driving a car.
In 2002, Margaret moved back to Iowa where she lived at the Kahl Home untill her death. She is survived by several cousins, Mary Frances and Bernard Vogel and Jim and Rosalee Cahill and some relatives in Ireland. She is proceeded in death by her parents, an older brother Thomas, a sister Catherine and Aunt Kate.