Margaret Martha Keighley

Margaret Martha Keighley passed away peacefully in her home in the care of Suncrest Hospice after a rapid decline as the result of a sudden stroke. Born Margarethe Martha Lieselotte Hock in Forbach, Germany, to Arthur Franz Wilhelm Hock and Marta Rosa Hock (née Loser), she grew up in Germany during WWII. After the war, Margaret attended art school and was working at the National Theater in Feudenheim, Germany, as a set designer in 1951 when she met her future husband, John Cherriman Keighley (deceased December 19, 2007), then a lieutenant in the United States Army. The two married on October 31, 1953, honeymooning in Europe, before finally arriving in Evanston, IL, on December 31, 1953.

Margaret and John set up their home in South Evanston, where they raised their two children, James and Nancy. Margaret continued her creative endeavors throughout her lifetime, teaching craft classes at Lincoln Elementary School, as well as the Evanston Art Center in the 1970s and 80s. She also had a small clientele of women for whom she exclusively designed and sewed wardrobes twice a year until her “retirement” in the late 1990s. Margaret enjoyed traveling, mostly to Michigan and Boston to visit her children, but her greatest joy was to visit Hawai’i, having been there five times in her later years. Until her stroke, Margaret kept her hands busy with crocheting and needlepoint projects, crafting gifts for friends and family alike. In 2017, Margaret moved to The Merion, where she enjoyed making new friends and the expanded social life of her new assisted living community.

Margaret knew how to live life to the fullest; always laughing, poking fun, having her coffee “mit schlag” (with whipped cream) every chance she could get. Her warm smile, as well as her smirk, both signs of her deep affection from her, will be missed by her friends, family, and many caregivers. Margaret was a magpie, loving all things sparkly and shiny; her passing on Christmas Day was the perfect end to a life well-lived, as it was her favorite holiday.

Margaret is survived by her son, James A. (Diane) Keighley, and her daughter Nancy A. (Gabriel Petino) Keighley Petino, as well as her three grandsons, Donald (Katie) Keighley, Michael Keighley, and Leonardo Petino. She was also blessed with three great-grandchildren: Brian Patrick Keighley, Calvin James Keighley, and Grace Marquette Keighley, who lovingly referred to her as Tutu (Hawai’ian for grandmother). They were the light of her later years.

All who knew and loved her are invited to join the family in a Celebration of Life for Margaret on Saturday, January 27th, 2024, from 1 - 4 pm at The Merion Crystal Ballroom. Interment is private.

In lieu of flowers, Margaret’s memory can be honored by donating to C.A.R.E (Community Animal Rescue Effort); a charity near and dear to her heart during life. Donations can be mailed to C.A.R.E, 4927 Main St, Skokie, IL 60077, or online at carenorthshore.org/donate-online.

May her memory be a blessing to all those who knew and loved her. And please remember: You can’t cook it cold.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WmScottFuneralHome.com for the Keighley family.