Scarborough, Maine — Margaret P. Stewart, age 90, died June 15, 2012, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine.
She was born in the Bradford section of Haverhill, Massachusetts on February 5, 1922. She was the daughter of the late J. Edward Parks and Gertrude McKee Parks.
Just before Margaret's fifth birthday, she and her mother joined her father, who was already establishing his business at 176 Main Street in Waterville, the former “Parks Diner.” She graduated from Waterville High School in 1939. She then graduated from Bradford Community College in 1941, and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1943.
During WW II, Margaret worked in Massachusetts at telephone offices that served Camp Edwards, Otis Air Force Base and Camp Miles Standish.
Margaret settled in Portland, Maine after the war, and was employed 36 years by the New England Telephone Company. From the Waterville Traffic Office she was promoted to the Maine area traffic staff in Portland in 1961. She retired in 1979 as the Maine Area Operator Services Staff Supervisor/Trainer. She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, Deering Chapter, and a member of the Order of Eastern Star. Margaret took early retirement so she and her husband could enjoy their favorite past times. Margaret was an avid gardener and established beautiful perennial gardens at her home on Frances Street in Portland Maine.
Margaret married Captain George Allen Stewart on June 28, 1969. Her husband died October 23, 1995. She was also per-deceased by her parents, and her brothers Ensign Pilot Philip E. Parks US Navy Air Force in 1932, and Attorney Donald W. Parks in 1997. Just recently, Margaret realized her death would mark the end of Parks-McKee branch of the family tree.
Margaret and her late husband George enjoyed road trips together throughout the northern New England states, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They enjoyed trips to their wood lot, hiking the grounds, looking for wild berries and rare flowers. Their favorite past times were ice fishing in the winter, berry picking and gardening in the summer. Margaret enjoyed her summer trips with her friends to Old Orchard Maine to play miniature golf, followed by lunch at the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Mrs. Stewart was a member of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church in Portland, Maine. She was a friend of the First Presbyterian Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts. At Clark Memorial UMC she served as historian and on the Board of Trustees. Margaret established and maintained a flower garden at Clark as a memorial to Henry C. Lovell, the founder of the church.
She is survived by friend and step-daughter in-law, Florence Stewart and her family; step-daughter, Mary Louise Lewis and her husband Frank; five step grandchildren; and ten step-great grandchildren.
ARRANGEMENTS: There will be no funeral, but a memorial will be planned for the future. Internment will be at the Parks family lot in the Elmwood Cemetery, on Salem Street, in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Margaret's expressed wish was that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, if desired be made to a church or to a charitable organization of your choice, keeping in mind Margaret's interest in environmental, Wildlife, and Historical organizations.
On line condolences can be made at www.jonesrichandhutchins.com
