Mom has always been the support “the glue” of our family. She has been a wonderful mother to Carol, Clark and Lynn and a terrific grandmother to Philip and Deborah.
  She has always been at the other end of the phone when you had a problem or wanted to share your thoughts. Also, she has always been available for everyone in our family and we have always depended on her and she has never let us down.
  Margaret has enjoyed playing golf, ball room dancing, and reading but her main interest has always been her children, grand children, and great grand children.
  All of us are very appreciative of that and we all have our fond memories.   
                     –Carol, her daughter

How can I possibly hope to describe Mom...a woman with unending patience, limitless love and strong devotion both to her family and her religion?  I will start with my own experiences with her during my teenage years. To understate the situation, I was not an easy teenager -- always angry (specifically with her), always fighting (specifically with her) and never expressing my love to her.  Although she would lose her patience with me once in a blue moon, she always quickly apologized even though in retrospect, she never needed to.  If someone else were to point out how difficult I was, she would strongly defend me, getting angry with whoever was speaking against me, and tell them just how wonderful I was  -- even if I had just finished (or was still in the process of) being a pain to her. 
  Fortunately, I grew up and started to see what everyone else had always seen -- that she was the most wonderful, caring, giving woman and that I was lucky to have her in my life and always on my side -- no matter what.  I had recently called her (just before we found out about her cancer) asking her for her help with something -- her response as always was she would do absolutely anything for me -- she actually said "Honey, I would cut off my own head if I thought it would help you".  Sounds weird to anyone who doesn't know Mom but for anyone who did, you know, like I did that she meant it with all of her heart.  Now that I have teenagers of my own I understand her deep devotion to her children and know that I possess her same sense of devotion to them.  I thank her for that gift.
  My deepest sense of loss is the selfish sense of "no one will ever love me that much again".  The truth is that once someone is in the process of leaving or is recently gone, you realize just how much you truly loved them.
  My last few weeks with my Mom were different than in the past -- now I was the caregiver, I was the one feeding her, giving her ice and kissing her face and telling her that everything would be ok, just be calm and relax -- I am here with you now and your God and loved ones are waiting for you.  I shared with her my wonderful experience when my Dad died back in 1991 -- I truly believe that he came to me and said goodbye -- it was warm and happy and gave me such a sense of calm -- this story impacted her deeply and provided her with much comfort.
  On my flight back home last night, we were significantly delayed due to bad weather.  Once in flight, we had a spectacular lighting show almost the entire way home.  I feel that Dad and Mom were showing me that they are happy and together and that everything is just fine.
  I love them both so dearly, miss them incredibly but also have a sense of peace in my own heart, and one of coming home for them.
                                             -Lynn Kilroy, her daughter