Margaret Corning Boldrick

Margaret “Margie” Corning Boldrick died peacefully in the presence of her family on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Her motto, often imparted to her daughters, was “Live life to the fullest!” A lifelong learner, inveterate traveler, lover of art, music, books, and - most of all - people, she was driven by an intense interest and curiosity to go out into the world and, always with an understated elegance, push the bounds of what was considered normal for women of her day.

Margie’s life adventure began at the Nix Hospital on February 1, 1934. The eldest of three girls, Margie was born to Mary Blair Holmes from Pittsburgh, PA and Leavitt Corning Jr. from St. Paul, MN. Margie grew up in San Antonio and spent formative summers on the East Coast at her grandmother’s stately Pittsburgh home or in raucous get-togethers with various cousins.

Margie graduated from Saint Mary’s Hall and attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. While she ultimately graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas, it was Wellsley that sparked her lifelong interest in learning, reading, writing and exploring the world. Later she would serve as president of the San Antonio chapter of the Wellesley Club. She also served as president of the alumna association of Saint Mary’s Hall which recognized her with the Alumna of the Year award.

Returning home after college, Margie met and married Jonathan Calvert. Jonathan’s career as a stockbroker took them to New York, Chicago and Corpus Christi before returning to San Antonio to raise three daughters, Blair, Sarah and Mollie. Pursuing her interests in art and music, Margie served as a docent at the McNay Art Museum and chaired the San Antonio Jr League’s Metropolitan Opera program. (When the New York-based Met board came to San Antonio, Margie convinced the city to take down the “bad art” in the airport.) The lifelong learner, Margie returned to school to get a Masters in English from Trinity University and landed a challenging job teaching freshman writing at San Antonio College. Later, encouraged by her second husband, Neill Boldrick Jr, Margie enrolled in St. Mary’s Law School where she proudly served on the law review in the demanding role of Research/Note and Comment Editor. Upon graduating with top honors, she joined a law firm with other new associates who were half her age. Inspired to help other women navigate the complexities of the legal world, she obtained board certification in Estate Planning and Probate Law and later went into solo practice with the specialties of estate planning and taxes.

In 2004, an Ohioan transplant named John Dempsey needed to ensure that his estate plan complied with Texas law and found Margie’s name in the yellow pages. Four years later, the legal work long since completed, he asked her to dinner. Thus began a 17-year shared love of travel that took them around the world and, later, around the United States in their beloved motor home. A priority for their trips was dining at top restaurants, which Margie diligently researched. A favorite stop for their trips was at the Tom Sawyer RV Park on the Mississippi where they drank champagne and watched the boats pass by. In the evening, they took an Uber into Memphis to sample the delights at Flight, their all-time favorite restaurant.

Indeed, travel was a constant theme in Margie’s life, whether as a newly minted grad touring Europe with her college roommate, traveling to Oxford, England to study literature, or traveling solo to Africa. She found interest and joy in each place visited, but her two favorite cities were Cape Town and Venice, to which she returned time and again.

Of all her roles in life, the one Margie cherished most was that of mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. As an independent woman who went back to law school in her 40’s, she served as a role model for her three daughters. She fostered a love of travel in her grandchildren and enthusiastically applauded their accomplishments. Family history was important to Margie, who traced her lineage back to the Mayflower, thus earning her membership in the Colonial Dames. Throughout her life, she maintained close relationships with her far-flung cousins, often stopping on motor home trips for a visit. She cherished the friendships from her school days, and those of her book and New Yorker clubs. She loved people and loved hosting parties. “A successful party begins with a relaxed hostess,” was another of her mottos.

Margie was predeceased by her parents, Mary Blair and Leavitt Corning, Jr.and her sister Blair Corning. She is survived by her sister Josie Corning; daughters, Blair Calvert Fitzsimons and husband, Joseph; Sarah Calvert Doerr; and Mollie Calvert Massari and husband Greg Massari; grandchildren Fay Walker, Jonny Fitzsimons, Kate Fitzsimons, and Spencer Doerr; and step-grandchildren Philip Massari, Margaret Yancy, Annie Massari and Lizzy Massari; six great-grandchildren; nephew Edward McSweeney; numerous beloved cousins; and her devoted companion of seventeen years, John Dempsey.

A celebration of life will be held on October 24th at 2:00 pm at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, 315 E. Pecan St., San Antonio, Texas 78205, with The Rev. Beth Knowlton officiating, assisted by The Rev. John Lewis who will give the homily. The family would like to thank Dr. Mark Thornton and Trinity Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the McNay Art Institute, 6000 N New Braunfels Ave., San Antonio, TX 78209, the San Antonio Library Foundation, 625 Shook Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78212, and Saint Mary’s Hall, 9401 Starcrest Drive, San Antonio, TX 78217.