Margaret T. Barton

On June 8, 2013, Margaret T. Barton of Columbia passed away; she is survived by her daughter Deborah L. Barton.

Family and Friends are invited to call at the Witzke Funeral Homes Inc., 5555 Twin Knolls Road. Columbia, MD 21045 on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 from 4pm to 7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 10:00am at St. Jude Shrine 5121 W. Saratoga St. Baltimore, MD 21201. Interment on Columbia Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to one of the following, St. Jude Shrine, Gilchrist Hospice Care 5537 Twin Knolls Rd. Columbia, MD 21045, or The Claudia Mayer Cancer Research Center.

MARGARET T. BARTON, the daughter of Louise Campbell Tann and George Tann, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 19, 1935. Though she had many aunts, uncles and cousins, she was the only child of this union. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2013 and passed away on June 8, 2013 in Columbia, Maryland in her home surrounded by family and friends.

Margaret grew up in the Philadelphia area and graduated from Girls High School. She attended Morgan State College, now University, from 1953 to 1957, graduated with a BS degree in Physical Education. After graduating from Morgan, she taught at Edmondson High School and later became a member of the faculty in the Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation at Morgan. In 1966, she attended Springfield College, in Springfield Massachusetts where she obtained a master’s degree in Dance. She then taught for a short time at Cheyney State College. She returned to Morgan in 1971 where she continued to teach until she retired in 2002.

While a student at Morgan, Margaret became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was an athlete and a dancer. Her friends nicknamed her “Margo”. She also met her future husband, Boyce W. Barton Jr. from Baltimore, Maryland. They were married in 1959 and from this union, a daughter, Deborah Louise Barton was born.

Margo will be remembered as a regular fixture and a member of the staff of the Supreme Court when it was a private sports club in 1977, and later when the club became a part of the Columbia Association known as the Supreme Sports Club. Margo had 27 years of service with the Columbia Association. She played competitive racquetball for many years. She and her many racquetball friends became known as "THE HARD CORE" because of their racquetball prowess and enjoyment of the many amenities provided by the original Supreme Court facilities. She also loved to bowl and belonged to multiple bowling leagues. Included in her many awards would be the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals for Country Line Dance at the Maryland Senior Olympics.

She was a devout catholic all of her life. No matter where she was in the world, a cruise, jazz festival, or Las Vegas, she always found out where the nearest Roman Catholic Church was located and attended mass. She became a member of St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church when she moved to Columbia, Maryland in 1971. She enjoyed being a part of the interfaith center. In 1980 she visited St. Jude Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland and found a special community of worship. She has been an active part of the community and served as a lector and volunteer for over 30 years.

She is survived by her daughter Deborah L. Barton, mother-in-law Mrs. Missouri O. Barton, brother-in-law James T. Davenport. Margo will be missed by her many relatives in Pennsylvania and Washington D.C., her St. Jude family, her many friends from La Fountaine Bleu where she danced every Wednesday night, her bowling league, her clients at the Supreme Sports Club, former students from Morgan State University, colleagues from her many diverse activities, and her “Columbia family” of close friends.

Margo was frequently heard to say, “I HAD A GOOD TIME AT THE PARTY!”

Donations may be made to HHF/CMCRC; 10705 Charter Drive, Suite 320; Columbia, MD 21044