Margaret Gray, teacher, artist and world traveler, passed away Aug. 7, 2011, at Vista del Monte Retirement Community in Santa Barbara, Calif., of complications from a fall. She was 90 years old.
Margaret was born July 19, 1921, in Los Angeles, the first of Paul and Ruth Lang’s three daughters.
On graduating from high school she won a scholarship to Santa Barbara State College. Standing in line for a ticket at Santa Barbara’s Arlington Theater she met Donald Hall, they went out for ice cream — and then got married just one month before her 19th birthday.
Don was a California state game warden, and he and Margaret moved around California with his career.
Their first child was born in Stockton, the second in Oakland, two more were born in Kern County, the fifth when they lived in Cartago, and number six was born in San Francisco where Margaret was awarded her master’s degree in special education at San Francisco State College exactly a year later.
She had been teaching elementary school since they lived in Cartago, taking summer and extension classes until they moved to San Francisco in 1954 where she completed her education.
She taught in south San Francisco and when the family moved to St. Helena in 1958, she taught there until her retirement in 1975.
A talented artist, Margaret created many beautiful paintings during this time; she was also very active in Eastern Star and “went through all the chairs.” She was an outdoor woman and most family vacations involved camping.
Margaret and Don moved to Whidbey Island in 1978, and they enjoyed retirement there until his death in 1983.
A long-time active member of the Presbyterian Church, Margaret went on a teaching mission to South Korea in 1984, where she taught English as a Second Language for two years.
In 1988 she married Edward Gray, an old friend. They enjoyed sailing and traveling for several years; then moved to Vista del Monte in 1991. Ed died there in 2002.
In 2003 Margaret traveled to China and climbed the Great Wall. In 2007 she flew to Thailand, boarded a clipper ship and sailed the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, and the Mediterranean Sea to Athens where she flew home by way of New York, making it a trip around the world in 40 days.
Margaret is survived by her children Kathryn Hardin, Cary Hall, Stephen Hall and Harriet Cocking; by her sisters Dorothy Ovenell and Harriet Smith; as well as 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by both her parents, both her husbands and her sons Hugh Hall and Donald L. Hall (died July 27, 2011).
Margaret’s wish was that her body be cremated and there should be no services. She raised six kids, traveled the world, lived to be 90 years old, and her wishes shall be respected.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Vista del Monte FACT Foundation, which insures that no Vista resident will have to leave if they are out of funds at the end of life.
For more information contact Steve Hall at oldbeatcop@gmail.com.
