Margaret I. Gerrits, 90, a former Concrete area teacher, passed away on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Where The Heart Is in Burlington, Washington.
Margaret was born on November 28, 1917 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of S. Alpha & Alice K. Ashcroft Thompson. In 1923 her family moved to British Columbia, Canada where she was raised and attended school. After graduating early from high school she attended and graduated from Vancouver Normal College.
She eventually found her way to Petaluma, California in 1936 where she taught Sunday school at the Petaluma Methodist Church. On December 28, 1936 she was united in marriage to Gustave V. Gerrits in San Francisco and they made their home in Petaluma where they operated a chicken ranch and Margaret also worked as a lab technician in a research facility.
Over the course of several years Margaret did post graduate studies at Western Washington University, the University of Nevada, the University of Oregon and the University of Washington.
In 1952 Margaret and her family moved to the upper Skagit Valley and Margaret taught elementary classes for 10 years and high school classes for 20 years for the Concrete school district. She was also one of the first female Emergency Medical Technicians in the Upper Skagit Valley, assisting on medical responses for over 10 years.
She has been a member of the Order of Eastern Star since 1939 and a member of the Cyrene Chapter in Sedro-Woolley for many years. She was also a member of the Daughters of the Nile and the Retired Teachers Association.
In their retirement years she and Gustave enjoyed traveling, visiting Europe and Hawaii. Margaret went to Africa twice, with one trip on her own for the birth of a grandchild. In her leisure time she enjoyed gardening and reading.
Margaret is survived by her children, William Gerrits and his wife, Marian of Ellensburg, WA, Lyle Gerrits and his companion, Debbie Clough of Mount Vernon, Gwyneth Gerrits of Coulee City, WA and Gregory Gerrits and his wife, Lynn of Rainier, WA. 8 grandchildren; Scott, Gregory, Thad, Tony, Matthew, Kelly, Shelby and Gus Gerrits and 3 great-grandchildren, Grant, Griffen and Maya Gerrits. 1 sister, Patricia Whitbread of Borden, Saskatchewan, Canada; 2 God-daughters, Margaret & Molly Snowdon and many nieces, nephews, cousins and wonderful friends and neighbors.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Gustave in 1990; 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
In the economy of God there is no death – forms change, but the spirit survives.
Memorials are suggested to the Gus & Margaret Gerrits Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o the Birdsview Fire Department, 8238 Lusk Road, Concrete, WA 98237.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, April 19, 2008 from1:00 to 3:00 PM at the St. Catherine’s CCD Center in Concrete. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.