Margaret Helen MacKinnon was born on July 3, 1926, in Boston, Mass., to Calvin and Ellen Sterling.

She graduated from Belmont Massachusetts High School and then got a job at the New England Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co.

Not long after, she met her husband John MacKinnon and they moved to California where they had three children. They later moved to New Hampshire where she gave birth to twins.

Margaret loved living in New England, where she had great memories of ice skating with her husband in their youth. The family moved to Everett, where she attended the Griffin Business College, and then eventually to Oak Harbor in 2000.

Five children didn’t stop Margaret from keeping herself busy, and she enjoyed several different jobs while raising the kids. She took typist jobs, enjoyed working as a baker at the Crossroads Market in New Hampshire and worked as a bookkeeper in Everett.

She volunteered at her children’s school in the first aid room, drove for Operation School Bell, loved reading mysteries, listening to music and baking wonderful pies for the family. She also enjoyed long walks, flowers and animals.

Margaret is preceded in death by her husband, John R. MacKinnon; a daughter, Kathleen A. Olson; a son, William E. MacKinnon; and her parents, sister and brother.

She is survived by her children Donald R. MacKinnon and his wife Doreen of Anacortes; John A. MacKinnon and his wife Melanie of Camano Island; Mary Reed and her husband James of Oak Harbor; her grandchildren Erik Olson, John W. MacKinnon and Garrick MacKinnon; and a great-grandson, Ethan Olson.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to WhidbeyHealth Hospice Care in Coupeville. The family also extends their heartfelt thanks to all of the staff at Careage and WhidbeyHealth Hospice Care for all their kindness and the care they took of their dear mother, and for the support of her family.