Margie Rawlinson

Margie was born in Chaseley, North Dakota, on April 4, 1929, to George and Ruth Austin. She passed away peacefully in her sleep at the home of her son and daughter-in-law in Buckeye, Arizona, on May 1, 2023, at the age of 94.

Margie's family moved from North Dakota to White Pine, Montana, when she was 4 years old. She attended and graduated eighth grade from the one-room schoolhouse in White Pine. She went on to high school in Thompson Falls where she either stayed in the old dormitory, rode a bus, or shared a cabin in town with her sister, Geraldine. She graduated in 1947 and soon after was married.

Margie had two children, Mick and Darlene, with Lawrence Lacock. Later she married Charles Doty and with him, had two more children, Paul and Lois.

In 1963, she and her four children moved to San Juan Capistrano, California, to start a new life, living with her sister, Lucretia and family. It was there that she graduated from beauty school and worked as a beautician until age 80. She also worked as a waitress in a coffee shop and later would spend 18 years at a dinner house where she was much loved by all those whom she served.

She eventually moved from California to Oregon and took up several kinds of dancing, including square dancing, attending a large jamboree in Salt Lake City. She ended up marrying the square dance caller and continued dancing! She also taught line dancing in Salem, Oregon, and continued to work as a beautician. Margie was an active member of The Red Hat Society in Oregon as well as, later in Montana, getting together as a group every two weeks for lunch and to visit and reminisce.

In 2013 she moved back to her roots in Sanders County, Montana, and kept busy with crocheting, knitting, gardening, canning fruits and vegetables and her famous jalapeno jelly and Christmas fruit cakes! She also has sewn and donated over 200 dresses for little girls in Belize, Central America.

In the fall of 2021, Margie moved to Arizona to live with her son Mick and his wife Rhonda.

Margie is survived by two daughters, Darlene Krzcuik in Virginia and Lois Brongo (husband Steve) in Rochester, New York; her eldest son Mick McKelvey (wife Rhonda) of Buckeye, Arizona; two sisters, Delilah Ginther in Salem, Oregon and Lucretia Sorenson in Trout Creek, Montana.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Geraldine and Opal, brother Lloyd and her youngest son Paul, whose passing in 2021 left his mom with a broken heart.

Margie was loved by all who knew her and will be remembered for her loving, kind, gentle, caring and giving personality.

Rest in peace, Margie. You've lived a colorful life filled with love of family, friends, and God.

For more memories of Margie, please join her family in sharing memories, pictures and video on her tribute wall at http://www.caminodelsol.com.