Margaret Gaw

All who knew Margaret Gaw would agree that she was truly beautiful on the inside and out. She was guided by an unwavering faith, and her life exemplified what it means to be the hands and feet of the Lord she loved. Margaret treasured her role as a mother, but she just might have argued that becoming a grandmother and great-grandmother was her richest reward. She raised her children in the same faith she cherished, and she was so proud of the people they became. Life will never be the same without Margaret here, but she leaves behind a timeless legacy that her loved ones will proudly carry on in her footsteps.

The 1930s were some of the most trying days we have faced as a nation as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and countless American families lost their homes in the midst of it all. Despite the trials around them, Russell G. and Louise E. (Anderson) Cole were filled with unspeakable joy as they announced the birth of the baby girl they named Margaret Anne, on May 3, 1932, in Isabella County in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Raised in the family home in Leaton, Michigan, she was the oldest of seven as she was joined in her family by her siblings, James, Gerald, Bert, Marilyn, Janet, and Kenneth. Her father worked as a welder for Fisher Transportation while her mother was a busy homemaker. Margaret loved living in the country, and she especially loved wintertime including skating on the creek near Leaton. It has been said that fighting with her brothers was a common occurrence, and since she was raised with four brothers, Margaret really didn’t care about having a romantic relationship with other boys.

In many ways Margaret was a young girl of her generation. She and her siblings loved riding in the rumble seat of her parents’ 1932 Ford. In the wintertime, her Uncle Charlie would hook up a sleigh and horse to take Margaret and her siblings for a sleigh ride. They would also go to their uncle’s barn where he milked cows. If he wanted them to leave, he would just squirt them with the udder’s milk! When Margaret was a child, her grandma, Florence Cole, would make their dresses for them to wear to school. She loved Leaton School House. Margaret frequently attended a youth group through Leaton United Methodist Church. After attending rural school in Leaton, Margaret graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1950.

Life was forever changed for Margaret when she met J.D. Gaw in Detroit. They were married, and together they welcomed five children including Robert, Sandra, Rose, Steven, and Betty into their hearts and home. According to Margaret, her children were a blessing from the Lord, and she felt that her children were a blessing to others as well. Her greatest mission as a mother was to raise her children to be independent and strong while also having the integrity to do what is right. Margaret wanted them not to lose faith no matter the circumstances around them and to trust that the Lord would take care of them. She never allowed her children to fight and harbor bad feelings towards others, and if her children fought among themselves, she would ask them to make amends right away. As a result, her children have always gotten along. Although Margaret and J.D. later divorced, she was forever grateful for the children they shared. Later in life, she was thrilled to welcome grandchildren and great-grandchildren into the family, and she was known by her great grandchildren as Grandma Hallelu.

Throughout her life Margaret was one to keep busy. One of her first jobs was working as a car hop at the Pixie Drive-In right out of high school. Margaret’s philosophy on working was that the more that you can get involved in, the better prepared you would be to work in any industry if times got tough. For this reason, she worked for department stores, convenience gas stations, an insurance office, and took certified nurses training to work in nursing homes and assisted living. When working at the convenience stores for Blodgett Oil, they trained their employees about getting robbed. From this training Margaret learned that when someone came in who was suspicious, she was to move away from the cash register and do something to make herself more endearing to the “would be” robber. It has been said that she thwarted a number of those “would be” robbers by doing just that. For a time Margaret sang in the group called The Tennessee Travelers, and although she didn’t travel much she did occasionally visit her children in Tennessee.

Margaret loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and she enjoyed being active as a Sunday school teacher, a Bible study leader, and faithful minister. She was a member of Leaton United Methodist Church in Leaton where she was also a certified lay speaker. Margaret authored her first book at the age of 80 called, “One Holy Moment,” in which the main theme is that if one is obedient to the Lord, they will be a stronger Christian and less fearful of things.

When reflecting on the life of Margaret Gaw, it is easy to see that she had a zest for life that was contagious. Her faith was her constant companion, and it was also her faith that was the reason for the joy that was in her heart. Margaret was deeply devoted to her family, and her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her greatest source of pride and joy. She had a great sense of humor and told the most wonderful stories to all who were near. Deeply loved, Margaret will be forever missed.

Margaret Gaw, of Mt. Pleasant, went home to be with Jesus on May 3, 2018, at her home. Margaret is survived by her 5 children; Robert (Becky) Gaw of Cookeville, TN; Sandy (Larry) Blubaugh of Mt. Pleasant, MI; Rose (Roger) Brown, Steve (Janet) Gaw, and Betty (Darrell) Kelley, of Cookeville, TN; siblings, Jim Cole, Ken (Patty) Cole, and Janet Fussman, all of Mt. Pleasant, MI; 11 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Bert and Jerry Cole, and Marilyn Mitchell; and grandson, Doug Gaw. A Celebration of Life will be on Monday, May 7, 2018, at 11 a.m. at the Leaton United Methodist Church in Denver Township with Pastor Mike Palmer. Burial will be in the Denver Township Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Charles R. Lux Family Funeral home on Sunday, May 6 from 5-7 p.m. Visitation continues at the church on Monday one hour prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leaton United Methodist Church or Community Cancer Services of Isabella County. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and church. To leave condolences or to sign our guest book please visit: www.CharlesRLux.com.