In the mid-1970s, my husband, Randy, and I needed day care for our two preschool children, because I worked twice a week in the nursing program as a clinical instructor at Frederick Community College, and Randy taught science at Thomas Johnson High School. We met Margaret because Laura, who was our child care mom, rented Margaret’s guest house at Foxes Spy. Our children played with Laura’s children while I worked.

One Saturday, there was a workday organized to repair a bridge over the creek that separated Margaret’s house from her mailbox. At this event, our family became acquainted with the Chamberlain family: Marty and Charlotte, and their children. Charlotte was Margaret’s beloved secretary/companion for years.

I remember hearing a story from Charlotte about the time Margaret was very near the end of her life. She was having periods, fading in and out of consciousness. One time returning from one such episode, she exclaimed, “Wowser, dowser!!!”! This became a favorite quote and memory after her passing.

As my friendship with Margaret developed, we discovered we were both members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The closest Friends Meeting, at the time, was Pipe Creek Friends Meeting, in Union Bridge, Maryland, about 45 minutes from us. As we became acquainted with like-minded folks in Frederick, we joined with a group of families to organize preschool activities as well as a food buying group. There was also interest among some of us in starting a Quaker worship group. Margaret participated in this and encouraged the eventual formation of Frederick Friends Meeting. She became a strong spiritual support and guide for that budding Quaker Meeting. Margaret was also the consultant and encourager of the establishment of the Catoctin Mountain Learning Project (the project of this group of families with their preschool and elementary school age children). As a proponent of the Orton-Gillingham educational system for children with dyslexia, Margaret became our consultant and guide. She was instrumental in helping these families obtain State approval for their elementary school program.

Dyslexia tends to occur in families. My older brother had difficulty learning to read but never had tutoring. We didn’t know about dyslexia and the tutoring methods to assist with learning to read and write. My husband had dyslexia and had been tutored in his early school years. Our son benefited from an excellent course of tutoring with Jeanne Kemp, someone Margaret recommended. Later, with encouragement from Margaret, I took the Orton-Gilligham tutor training course and tutored several children for a year or two. My brother, my husband, and my son were all successful college graduates. We are deeply grateful for Margaret’s friendship and support and for her wisdom on how to navigate the world of language learning.