Margaret Wainwright

Margaret Wainwright, most recently of Kenmore, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the 11th of March, just a few weeks after her 88th birthday.  She was surrounded by her loving family during the last few days of her long and well lived life.

Margaret was born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England to Helen and Thomas Lavelle on February 15, 1931. She was the youngest of their five children and her older siblings were John, Mary, Tommy, and Hughie.  She loved to share stories of growing up “over her Dad’s pub” which was the Phoenix Hotel in Rotherham.  By the end of World War II, she was in her mid-teens; she excelled in school and earned her teaching certificate from the Liverpool Institute of Education.  She combined her love of knowledge and children in her eight year career as an elementary school teacher at St. Ann’s Road Primary School in Rotherham.

She met and married Alan Wainwright in 1959 and they honeymooned in the English Lake District.  She and Alan had their first children, Frances and James, in Rotherham. They then immigrated to Canada for Alan’s career and Elizabeth and Eugene were born there.  In 1968 they moved to Seattle, driving across Canada in the middle of winter, so that Alan could continue his career at Boeing.  Their youngest child, Kathryn, was born in Seattle.

Margaret worked at raising her children through challenging personal circumstances both economic and marital, but despite these challenges dedicated herself to the wellbeing of her kids.  She was a devout Catholic and an active parishioner at St. Alphonsus Church in Ballard for many years.  She valued kindness to others and was the most generous person to any and all. Her house and kitchen were welcoming havens.  From her fresh baked “cobs” to a hot cuppa tea, no one who came through her door ever felt anything but welcomed and cared for.

Margaret loved music, art, language, theater, and singing; in her younger days she enjoyed performing in amateur theater.  She was an avid, life-long reader and made almost daily visits to her local library as well as her local yarn shop.  She prided herself on doing the New York Times crossword puzzle each day and loved watching British comedy shows. She was a good cook and could make a meal out of almost anything. She was a knitter of epic speed and talent, making many lovely items for family and friends.  Baby sweaters and hats were a specialty of hers.  She was very close to her parents and siblings and kept in touch through extensive correspondence over the years even though they were far away in both England and Australia.

Margaret had a brief second career working in customer service for Sears where she was well loved by her coworkers and customers. Her lovely English accent added a touch of class to her frontline position fielding customer service calls.   Once her beloved grandchildren were born, she retired and helped care for them, from full time infant care to occasional babysitting.  Her grand-kids Katie, Hannah, Ben, Gabe, and Lauren were the light of her life. Nothing lit up her face like an impromptu visit from her family.

After many years of living in the Sunset Hill area of Ballard, the family home got to be too much for her and she moved into an assisted living apartment. She kept her joy in life’s little pleasures and loved that her family all lived close enough for regular family get-togethers.

Margaret went to her final rest surrounded by her children and grandchildren on March 11, 2019. Our lives won’t be the same without her, but she had a wonderful life and was our most beloved mother.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for the summer of 2019. Remembrances may be made to any children’s charity of your choice.