Margaret Finn Cross

Margaret Finn Cross, 97. died Wednesday, August 12, at her home in Tallahassee. She was born April 29, 1929 in Erie, Pennsylvania. A memorial service will be held at a later date for family and friends who need time to plan their travel.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur Shane Finn and Enola Jane Taggart Finn; brother, Arthur Eugene Finn; husband, Frank Leonard Cross; son, Gerald Shane Cross; grandson, John Andrew Davis; and granddaughter, Sarah Rebecca Cross. She is survived by daughters, Catherine Davis (Richard), Christine Cross (Megan), Jennifer Cross (Scott Hill), Shannon Cross (Brian Benigno); and son, Frank Christopher Cross. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren, Sara Davis (Lawrence Allen), Lisa Davis (Nate Stuckey), Rachel Cross, Ryan Cross, Alix Cross, Charlotte Hill, and Benjamin Hill; and granddaughter-in-law, Carrie Zais Davis. She is also survived by 7 great grandchildren, Devin Cheshire, Emma Cheshire, Isaac Branca, Kira Davis, Sharisia Allen, Jack Stuckey and Lucy Stuckey.

Margaret, known as Mickey, grew up during the Great Depression and WWII in Western Pennsylvania and New York state. She learned to read before starting school and was an avid reader her whole life. She would often read a book a day. As a child she would take annual vacations to Florida with her family to visit her grandmother. Her father was a salesman for the Ontario Biscuit Company and moved his family often to new towns for work. The company was bought out by Keebler and he was promoted to Vice President of Sales for Keebler in Buffalo, NY where the headquarters were. She would go twice a week to a nearby movie theater where she paid 11 cents to see each new movie on the bill. Mickey graduated from Bennett High School in 1947 and went on to graduate from Bryant and Stratton Business Institute. During her first job as an executive secretary, she also earned her real estate license and later became vice president of a real estate company.

She loved to folk dance and participated in international folk dancing for many years where she met her future husband Frank. She later became president of the Florida Folk Dance Council.

She followed her new husband to Japan for three years when he was stationed there in the Air Force. While there, they adopted the first two of six children. Highlights of her time in Japan included a three day climb of Mt. Fuji, snow skiing in the Japanese Alps, and whitewater rafting on the Kamogawa River.

Her husband Frank later worked in the air pollution control industry and his work took the family to several cities in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Mickey worked part time off and on and was a girl scout leader while her children were growing up. Frank eventually started his own environmental engineering company, Cross/Tessitore & Associates, P. A. in Orlando where Mickey was the office manager.

They loved camping, boating, water skiing, canoeing and kayaking. They had a vacation home on the Nantahala River in North Carolina and spent time there every chance they could. They eventually sold the business and retired to Orange City, Florida where they enjoyed morning swims at Blue Spring State Park. A few years after Frank passed, Mickey moved in with her daughter, Cathy, and son in law, Richard, in Tallahassee where they enjoyed many years of traveling together.

Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be given to Big Bend Hospice. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Big Bend Hospice and Quality Care and Management Service of Tallahassee.