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Margaret McCutchan, 1922-2012

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Margaret McCutchan, one of the founding members of Cannon Valley Friends Meeting
 Margaret Louise Mead McCutchan, age 90, of Northfield, MN, passed away on August 30, 2012.  A Quaker memorial service was held on Sunday, September 16th at the White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church at 328 Maple Street, Mahtomedi, MN 55115.  Many people who have known and loved Margaret attended and shared memories in celebration of her life.

The following obituary was shared with Cannon Valley Friends Meeting by Margaret's daughter, Cara Rodriguez:

Margaret was born April 10, 1922 in Plainfield, NJ. She grew up in Beijing, China, and later lived with her family in Cambridge, MA. There she met and married Alden (Mac) McCutchan in 1946. Their first 26 years together were in Mahtomedi, MN, the next 36 years on a beautiful farm in Sogn Valley, north of Kenyon, MN, and the last four years in Northfield, MN.

In Mahtomedi, Margaret helped with the architectural planning for the house she and Mac built together, and for the building that formerly housed the Lake Drive Methodist Church which the family attended. There she taught Sunday school and enjoyed the friendship of the Women’s Circle. Mac and Margaret later joined the Twin Cities Friends (Quaker) Meeting. Margaret was an active member of the AFS Committee, supporting the foreign exchange student program. As wife of a high school teacher and coach, she helped chaperone many school events and transported students to local track and cross-
country meets in the family VW bus. Margaret particularly enjoyed being a long-time member of the Nightingales, a singing group started by her Quaker women friends who gathered to sing long into the night.

From their home in Sogn Valley, Margaret was a member of the Dennison Women’s Study Club, hosted and coordinated the Sogn Food Buying Club, raised chickens and dairy goats, and sold flowers at the annual Sogn Valley Craft Fair. She found a warm circle of friends in their farm community. She was a member of the Weavers Guild in St. Paul, the League of Women Voters in Cannon Falls, and a founding member of the Cannon Valley Friends Meeting in Northfield. The friendships Margaret and Mac have developed in recent years at their Village on the Cannon and Millstream Commons residences in Northfield, have brought them great joy.

Dancing, singing, tending her flower gardens, finding wild flowers, watching birds, sewing and knitting were some of Margaret’s favorite activities. Lovingly caring for her family and a wide variety of friends, and creating a welcoming home were her most generous gifts.

Margaret is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Alden McCutchan; sister Elizabeth Bolton; children Duncan (Babs), John (Denise), Cara Rodriguez, and Larkin Mead (Gus); seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many extended- family members. She was preceded in death by her parents Lawrence and Eleanor Mead, and siblings, Lawrence, Eleanor Strong, and Machado.

The McCutchan family extends their thanks to the many friends who have provided love and support, and their deep gratitude to the Millstream Commons, Northfield Hospice Care, and Three Links Reflections team members for the wonderful care provided during the final stages of Margaret’s life.

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