Margaret Mary Ratigan

Margaret Mary Ratigan was born Margaret Mary Madalinski on September 21, 1961, in San Antonio, Texas and died peacefully just after midnight the morning of October 19, 2022, in Tacoma, Washington after struggling with chronic pancreatitis for about six months.

Margaret, known to her friends and family as Margie, loved being a Bushia (grandma in Polish) to her two wonderful grandchildren Logan and Savannah. Although Margie endured many struggles in her life, she absolutely adored being a Bushia. Her grandchildren were the light of her life in her later years. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her two grandchildren.

Margie moved to Washington with her daughter Crystal when Crystal was only four years old. Shortly after her move, a friend introduced her to a single parent meet-up group where Margie met Mike (Michael Ratigan), and it was love at first sight. They moved in together after just three dates, and the two were married on May 4, 1990. He loved Elvis and John Wayne. She loved Cher and Lucille Ball. Mike and Margie adored each other, and it was obvious because they were so very good at constantly teasing each other. After much banter Mike would always give up, but get the last word in with a sarcastic and resounding, “yes, dear.” When Mike died unexpectedly in January 2004, things were very difficult for Margie. Although she had love and support of her daughter Crystal, her sister Jackie, and niece Christina, it was hard for her to come back to her fun, spunky self after losing Mike.

Margie was not shy about openly discussing her mental health issues. She struggled with bi-polar disorder and depression, and after Mike’s death, she also started to develop epilepsy and seizures. Despite the darkness, she kept herself afloat with a mix of her sharp wit and optimistic sarcasm.

In 2004 and 2005, Margie lived with her niece Christina and Christina’s son Dorian who was 7 years old at the time when Margie moved in. Margie was a great help taking care of Dorian during those years, and he fondly remembers watching TV with her for hours. She introduced him to everything from The Golden Girls to 13 Ghosts, and everything in between. They watched Jurassic Park many times, one of Margie and Dorian’s favorite movies.

She loved adorable things like Hello Kitty and Tweety Bird, but she’d also seen almost every single horror movie that ever came out. If you took her to the movies (which we did every time there was a new Jurassic Park movie) she would scream and yell at the screen the whole time (yes, loud screaming/shrieking, and yes, profanities), so you had to make sure to take her at times when the theater was less occupied so as not to be glared at by other movie-goers.

Everyone who knew her will remember that she could hardly speak two sentences without cursing, but she meant well and was as sweet as could be. She loved to have fun and cause trouble in a good way, trolling people as she’d say. She truly didn’t care what other people thought of her, and in that way she lived freely.

Margie had issues with brittle bones and had been fracturing the same leg over and over again for many years. The last several years, she found the use of a wheelchair to be the safest way to get around. In 2019, Cher was touring the country, and it was Margie’s lifelong goal to go to this concert. She felt it was her last chance to see Cher live, but all of the Washington state tour dates had been cancelled because of Covid-19. The closest show was in Portland, Oregon, and Margie was adamant about going. For her 58th birthday Christina bought her the concert ticket, but no one was able to go with her to Portland in November. Still, her limited mobility and being on her own did not stop her from taking a train to Portland from Tacoma, getting to the concert venue, having the life-goal experience of CHER LIVE ON STAGE, staying the night in a hotel, and getting all the way back home the next day. It was quite an adventure for her, being that she hadn’t traveled much for many years prior, but she was ecstatic about the experience and talked about it for months after.

Margie and her younger sister Jackie had been best friends growing up, and they lived together most of their young adult lives as single moms with their children, Crystal and Joshua. Margie always looked out for Jackie as best as a big sister could. When Jackie died in 2011 it was another sudden death that was almost impossible for the family to fathom. Now they are together and free, along with others who preceded Margie in death, including her husband Mike, her nephew Joshua Madalinski (Jackie’s son), nephew John M. Howard, parents Walter Madalinski Sr. and Sophie J. Madalinski. She is survived by her daughter Crystal Lutz, grandchildren Logan and Savannah, sister Kathryn M. Howard, brother Walter Madalinski Jr. (Mary Ellen), niece Christina Graylee, great nephew Dorian Graylee, nephews Walter Madalinski III (Adriana), Matthew Madalinski (Tasha), William Madalinski, and niece Megan Lane (Luke).

We will remember Margie as she would want to be remembered… ready to shake things up with her bright pink hair, a cute bow, her nails and eye makeup done to match, an iced coffee or espresso drink in hand, saying something like, “Cool, Dude!” or, “That’s awesome!” followed by her very distinct and mischievous laugh. She truly was a unique, hilarious, fun-loving person. She changed all of us for the better. The imprint she had on our lives will remain forever on our hearts.

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