Margaret P. von Unruh

In loving memory of Margaret Elaine Powell von Unruh, also known as ‘Meg', who passed away peacefully in Palm Beach Gardens on Friday, February 23rd, 2024. She led a long, blessed life and helped build a thriving legacy of music in the Palm Beach County School system.

A native of Palm Beach County, Margaret was born in Pahokee on Lake Okeechobee on September 30th, 1930. Her father Samuel Wilson Powell passed away when she was an infant, and soon after her mother Ora W. Powell became the first female Insurance Agency owner in the State of Florida.

Meg was the youngest of three children and started playing the piano at 5 years old. She became the pianist for First Baptist Church of Pahokee during her Junior year at Pahokee High School. She went on to graduate from Florida State University with a degree in Musical Education and started her 35-year-long career in music education at Pahokee High School leading their Vocal Choir to superior ratings in a Miami contest. She then transferred to the coast as an itinerant music teacher between Delray and Boynton Beach schools. Always steadfast in her faith, she was also the pianist for multiple churches in Palm Beach County at that time including Northwood Baptist Church in West Palm Beach.

Meg soon traveled abroad and taught music for the US Army School in Augsburg Germany, where she was able to travel extensively through Europe.

When she returned she taught at Northboro & Palm Beach Public Elementary schools. In 1965 while teaching at Riviera Beach Elementary she met the love of her life Rudolph “Rudy” von Unruh. Rudy was the local Band Director at Riviera Beach High School. They decided to not waste time and married later in the year! They started their family while Meg was teaching at Watkins Junior High School. When the Palm Beach County School System subsequently dropped its music and fine arts program, she worked tirelessly to see it reestablished.

Meg’s beloved husband Rudy lost his battle with Lung Cancer in 1982, and Meg was honored to see his legacy live on through the Scholarship fund in his name with the Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches. Her last public school teaching position was at Washington Elementary, after which she transitioned to teaching piano privately. She studied with the co-founder of the Suzuki Method, Dr. Haruko Kataoka, and taught many children and families using this method in Palm Beach County in the following years.

Meg delighted in the birth of her grandson Brandon von Unruh in 1991, was able to celebrate the 100th birthday of her beloved mother Ora in 2000, and also was able to welcome the birth of her great-grandson Pierce von Unruh just last year in 2023.

She was most recently a member of Beacon Baptist Church in Jupiter, Florida, and loved seeing former members of her Northwood Baptist Church family there on occasion. Meg is survived by her children Erich and Greta, her grandson Brandon and his wife Coralie, and her great-grandson Pierce. In place of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Meg’s honor to the Rudolph von Unruh Memorial Scholarship Fund with the Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches. A viewing will be hosted on March 8th at 5:00pm, with a service at 6:00 PM at Aycock-Riverside Funeral Home, 1112 Military Trail, Jupiter, FL 33458. https://symphonicband.org/donations/

In her own words, Meg said “I have had a rich, wonderful life for which I praise God. I especially praise Him for His gift of Music!”