Margaret Clements Anderson

Margaret Rose Clements Anderson, lover of chocolate, beloved wife, and mother, passed away on February 4, 2025, in Austin, Texas, surrounded by her family. She loved children, public education, and a good joke.

Margaret was born on September 8, 1950, in Midland, Texas to Lola Jones Clements and Frank Harding Clements. She lived in Texas and Oklahoma before moving to Caracas, Venezuela thanks to her father’s role in oil exploration. She attended school there from ages 6-8 years old and learned Spanish while playing with kids on the playground.

She then moved to Tripoli, Libya where she chased gazelles and experienced Saharan sandstorms from ages 8-9 years old. Her family then moved back to Andrews, where she would spend the rest of her formative years. She made a profession of faith at First Baptist Church of Andrews, Texas at a young age, and would continue to be a strong Christian throughout her life.

She graduated high school at the top of her class and was named “Who’s Who” in Homemaking–although she coveted the position of “Who’s Who in Spanish!” Margaret fell in love with languages from a young age and went on to study Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Over the next few years, she graduated from Texas Tech University in 3 years with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and the University of Kentucky with a Master’s degree in Spanish Literature, and spent several years working as a journeyman missionary in Peru and Mexico City.

She would continue this love of Mexico and South America throughout her life, traveling with her 11 year old sister throughout South America, bringing her family back to her cherished Machu Picchu in later years, and reconnecting with her mother’s giant family in Brazil.

Margaret moved back to Texas in 1975 from Kentucky to be closer to her ailing parents and begin her career in public education. She spent weekends at home to support her parents going through chemo for lung and breast cancer and this would turn out to be formative for her understanding and support of others through their illnesses. Her girls were always taught that when someone is in the hospital, they should never be alone. You take good notes and ask lots of questions to help be an advocate…and never bring flowers since you have to haul them all home!

Margaret worked as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and directed the Title VII grant in Abernathy, Texas during this time. This was also where she met Gid and Marie Adkisson, who would become a second set of parents to her and grandparents to her children. She then worked in Dallas for a multi-state Federation Bilingual Education Service Center before finally moving to Austin in 1978 to work as a consultant at the Texas Education Agency in Bilingual Education.

She met the love of her life, Bob Anderson, one morning in Sunday School at First Baptist Church of Austin. “I met my soulmate,” she told her friend later that week. “I just hope he will ask me out–if he doesn’t, maybe I will have to ask him!” She knew she had found a good one and snapped him up–they were married later that year.

She worked in Austin, Hays, and Manor school districts for over 26 years, teaching ESL/bilingual education from kindergarten through high school. She worked in school administration as an assistant principal in Austin and Manor and ran a reading grant in Manor. Margaret touched countless lives through her time in public education. “I was able to picture a different future for myself because of her,” one of her former students commented.

Margaret desperately wanted children but she and Bob struggled with fertility issues. They were finally blessed with not one but two daughters, Minda and Megan, and she would always be their biggest cheerleader. Margaret loved reading with her girls as well as opening up the world for her students through teaching them how to read. She was famous for her cake balls, homemade mints, and was always searching out new recipes to try. She grew up as a Girl Scout and was a believer in creating empowering spaces for women. She volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop Leader for Minda and won Troop Leader of the Year twice! Her daughters followed in her footsteps by Minda creating a career in bilingual public education and school librarianship and Megan working as a master baker with women-owned businesses.

Margaret created a consulting business called “Read With Me” where she worked with parents and families to learn about the importance of reading with children at home. She was also Bob’s business partner, advisor, and human resources expert throughout his landscape architecture career.

In her spare time she continued her love of travel by visiting Italy, China, Spain, Ireland, France, and many more trips around the world. She ensured her Girl Scouts traveled in order to learn about other cultures and customs…and never be afraid to haggle for a good deal! She also carried a deep love of nature throughout her life and family vacations to Evergreen Valley and Calf Canyon, New Mexico. She was an elite trout fisherwoman who loved a challenge but also relaxing, listening to the wind in the aspens in their hammock.

Margaret retired in 2007 and dedicated her time volunteering, supporting her family, and spending time at her treasured cabin in New Mexico. In 2013, “without an inkling on how to write a novel,” she started writing a historical fiction novel very loosely based on her grandfather’s life. Minda was one of her editors and she looks forward to getting it published posthumously in her honor. She also loved supporting Megan’s businesses, whether it was buying up all her macarons or coming in to Blue Suede for a frosé and chat.

Margaret was not a Christian in name only–she spent hours at friends’ bedsides in the hospital, volunteering at Minda’s school, and sponsoring her housekeeper’s kids to attend summer camps, among many other unnamed kindnesses. Her service in public education was dedicated to providing for underprivileged students, which she saw as a calling from God. She treasured her friendships, especially her neighborhood bunco group, and her friends will always remember her as a fiercely loyal “partner in crime.”

She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Lola Clements and her sister Jeri McWilliams. She is survived by the love of her life Bob Anderson, daughters Minda and Megan, sister Dona Bliss and her husband Bruce, brother-in-law Gary “Mac” McWilliams, nephews Patrick, Scott, Matthew, & Josh McWilliams, sister-in-law Sharon Anderson Harris, nieces Jessica, Emily, & Mary Harris, sister-in-law Mary Lynn Klingman and her husband Berry, and nephew Peter Klingman, as well as multiple grand-nieces, nephews, cousins, and beloved extended family.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas on Saturday March 8th, 2025 at 1pm with a reception to follow. A private interment ceremony will be held the day before for the family. Donations in her honor may be made to the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, Breakthrough Central Texas, which supports middle and high school students who aspire to be the first in their family to graduate, or the Austin ISD Library Fund, which her daughter Minda helped create.