Margaret Helen Anderson

Margaret Helen Anderson

There are no words to truly describe a person like Margaret Helen Anderson. ‘Marge’ as our dad affectionately called her, was a remarkable woman. She had a passion for life that shone through in her infectious smile and she was always there to help others. Margaret loved music, dancing, socializing with friends, bowling, traveling, gardening, and her and dad’s weekly pinochle nights with the Dawsons. Margaret achieved a balance with her career and family during a period in history when it was not common for women. She had a great sense of humor, was very intelligent and naturally charming; everyone who met her fell in love with her. Her family was inspired by her unwavering faith and unconditional love which is the greatest gift she could instill in others.

Born in Spokane, Washington, May 20, 1920 to parents Pasquale (Patsy) Juliano and Cecilia Vasek, Margaret was two months shy of Canada as her birthplace. Her father immigrated from Italy, and her mother from Slovenia. She had two older sisters, Phyllis and Evie, and a younger brother Bill. She grew up during the Great Depression, but her father worked on the rail cars for the City of Spokane and she says her family always had what they needed. She shared fond memories of the family yard with a vegetable garden, a cow named Daisy, a dog named Skeezix, chickens, pigs, and rabbits. Margaret attended St. Patrick’s elementary school then graduated from John R. Rogers High School. Margaret’s excitement and passion for life was evident in the high school organizations she was a member of. Through her high school career, she was a member of the Spanish Club, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball and Tumbling Teams. She was also a Big Sister, Handy Andy and Room Representative. It was evident Margaret was a natural leader, serving as Treasurer of the Girls League, Vice President of the G.A.C, and President of the Four Star Club. Her academics earned her a place in the National Honor Society. From her high school graduation, she went on to Kinman Business College in Spokane, Washington.

She moved with a girlfriend to California and there met the love of her life, Edward ‘Eddy’ Anderson, a World War II veteran, at a dance in Oakland, California. They were married July 2, 1948, and soon after moved to Hawaii. Their first child, a son Kevin, was born in Hawaii. The family moved back to California a few years later, settling in Fremont. Their two daughters, Sharon and Briana, were both born in Oakland.

Margaret was always a hard worker with an impeccable work ethic and had a very successful career as a legal secretary. One of her first employers was the United States Government. She shared stories of FBI officers coming to the house for dinner because they loved her mom’s cooking. She worked for a law firm in Oakland for Mr. Fitzimmons, or Fitz as she called him. In 1976, Bernard Nemerov, once a co-owner the Riviera Hotel and Casino and one of Fitz’s clients, opened the Paradise Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and offered Margaret a position as his Executive Assistant. Marge and Eddy had always loved visiting Las Vegas to see Wayne Newton, so sold their house, packed up the family and moved to Las Vegas. In June of 1976, the hotel closed, and Margaret went to work as an Executive Assistant for Jack Kent Cooke, who at the time owned the Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and The Forum. In 1979, Cooke relocated to Virginia and asked Marge to relocate to continue as his assistant. The family moved to Virginia and she continued to work for Cooke for three more years. In 1982, Marge and Eddy moved back to Las Vegas; she then went to work for Lionel, Sawyer and Collins, as a legal secretary for one of the partners, Todd Touton, until she retired at the age of seventy-eight. Margaret always loved to be busy, so retirement didn’t last long. She started volunteering full time for Our Lady of Las Vegas Church, then went back into the work force as a full-time receptionist at an apartment complex and worked a second job Sundays at DiBella’s Flowers for several years to “keep busy”. When the apartment complex closed, she continued working at the flower shop until October 2013.

Margaret’s qualities as a caring, loving, patient and accepting person served her well as a parent. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother always putting family first. Holidays, birthdays and other special life events were celebrated with love and tradition. She supported her grandchildren in their activities, never missing a school play, recital, or sports event. When Sharon became a single parent, Margaret stepped in and helped raise her children at a time when others were enjoying their retirement. She passed those values and traditions on to her children and grandchildren.

A lover of animals, Margaret cherished her pets. Over the years she had many special four-legged family members. Her cat Trouble loved to sit in her lap, and Sharon’s dogs Lily and DudE were always by her side in her favorite chair.

Margaret loved to travel and realized her dreams on a Caribbean Cruise with her daughter Briana and an Alaskan Cruise with her sister Evie and friends. In the Caribbean, Margaret made the one-and-a-half-hour trek to the famous Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica. Summer family vacations were spent in Spokane visiting family and friends. Margaret would always make homemade fried chicken for the annual trip.

Her passion for helping others and being involved was evident, Margaret was involved in community organizations. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary American Women’s Business Association, Precious Moment’s Club, the Lady’s Guild of Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church, and the Red Hat Society. Margaret loved helping others and spent time as a volunteer for Nathan Adelson Hospice and Opportunity Village.

Margaret’s faith was extremely important to her. She was a member of Our Lady of Las Vegas and St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church for over thirty years. Margaret served as a member of the Lady’s Guild and regularly volunteered in the parish offices and often attended daily mass.

She was our hero. She didn’t have superpowers like the heroes we read about in books, but she was stronger than they were. She couldn’t fly but was anywhere anytime to care for her family and lift them up when they had fallen. She was small in stature, but larger than life. She lived life to the fullest finding joy even in the simple things. We will miss her smile and laugh but thank God that He gave her to us.

Margaret passed away March 18, 2019 surrounded by family listening to some of her favorite music. She is survived by her two daughters, her son-in-law, and her grandchildren. Services were held at St. Joseph Husband of Mary Catholic Church, and she was laid to rest with her husband Edward at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.

Putting her life into words doesn’t really do her justice. Margaret was a talented and amazing woman who was not afraid to achieve for herself and family. Through her ninety-eight years, she touched so many lives. She was personable, charming, intelligent, and everyone who met her fell in love with her. Some only dream of greatness, while Margaret achieved it. These lessons will be passed on through generations to come and immortalize her essence forever.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s or American Heart Associations will serve as a lasting tribute to Margaret Helen Anderson.