Margaret was a gifted and extremely talented woman who was always pursuing her passions. Her creative curriculum vitae included four clever children; a flair for interior decorating; two successful fashion businesses and world-famous sticky buns for every holiday.
One of four children, Margaret Louise Granger was born in Emporia, KS to Dr. Wayne B. and Mabel Willis Granger. She was an honors graduate of Emporia High School where she was involved in music, theater and the school newspaper. She played the piano and loved to sing.
While at the University of Kansas, Margaret was a member of Mortar Board, the All-Student Council and president of Student Union activities board; one of the first women to hold the position. She was active in the Quill Club, Associated Women Students Senate and Judiciary Board, and wrote about college fashion for Mademoiselle magazine. She joined the Kansas Alpha chapter of Pi Beta Phi and served as corresponding secretary, activities chair and pledge supervisor.
After graduating with honors in 1951, she taught 8th grade at Prairie Elementary School in Prairie Village. In October 1951, she was setup with Van Robinson, an MU graduate who was working in advertising. They were married eight months later. Shortly after, Van decided to go to medical school, taking the family to Philadelphia, PA, and Modesto, CA, before settling in Kansas City North in 1964.
As the wife of a doctor who delivered babies at all hours, Margaret held down the fort, raising two boys and two girls. At the same time, she was involved in the community as a member of the Junior Leagues of Philadelphia and Kansas City, MO, church altar guilds and P.E.O.
A great dog lover, Margaret taught herself how to train Dandie Dinmont Terriers in the early 1970s. She and her champion dogs competed in regional and national shows including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York.
In 1974, she opened the Squash Blossom, a retail boutique in the Northland featuring fine turquoise and Navajo, Hopi and Zuni jewelry. To help with her frequent buying trips to Arizona, she became a licensed pilot and flew her own plane.
Margaret shared Van’s passion for sports, and over the years, (as is often required of unions of MU and KU alumni) she became a loyal Mizzou fan herself. For many years they were regular tailgaters during football season. They shared a love of golf and played often.
In 1984, she and Van retired to Carefree, AZ, where neither really retired. A talented seamstress, Margaret designed and made her own ultrasuede golf and sportswear. The fashions attracted so much interest from fellow golfers and friends that she started her own clothing line, Maggie R. Ltd. The company operated manufacturing facilities in Scottsdale, AZ for 16 years.
When Van decided to come out of retirement in 1990 and return to medicine, he and Margaret moved to Marshall, MO for four years where she would remodel and decorate their 11th home!
Van and Margaret moved to Parkville, MO in 2000 to be closer to family and enjoyed their second retirement in a close community of friends at the National Golf Club.
For her 80th birthday Margaret was determined to tandem skydive. Knowing she would not be dissuaded, her family gathered to watch at the rural airfield. When the first parachute failed to open, and several long minutes passed before the backup was spotted, her children were paid back for every naughty thing they ever did growing up.
Margaret was not a woman who sat still. She long ago mastered the personal computer and email and did most of her shopping online. In recent years, she authored a children’s book and crocheted complex patterns just for fun.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Willis A. Granger, Wayne C. Granger and Ruth Granger Stauffer.
Margaret is survived by her husband of 66 years, Dr. Van M. Robinson; children, Van M. Robinson, Jr. and wife, Polly, Phoenix, (Van M. III, Mackenzie), Matthew G. Robinson and wife, Susan, Prairie Village, KS (Molly and Scott Koenigsdorf, Virginia and Greg Tanquary), Mona Robinson Gauer and husband, Rob, Kansas City, MO (Laura and Enrico Bermudez, Joseph and Kathryn Gauer, Matthew), and Amy Robinson Weber and husband, Dan, Marshall, MO (Mason and fiancée Andjela Pehar, Kyle); and seven great-grandchildren.
