Margaret Lillard

MARGARET ANN LILLARD

Margaret Ann Lillard, age 56, of Iowa City, IA, formerly of Kahoka, MO, died Friday, May 1, 2009, at her home following a long, courageous battle with brain cancer.

She was born June 14, 1952, at Keokuk, IA, the daughter of Jerry David and Mary Malinda Walker Lillard. They preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by a nephew, James Robert Simmons, and a cousin, Benny Bourgeois.

Survivors include two sisters, Constance Simmons and her husband, Robert, of Mt. Sterling, IA and Phyllis Lillard of Kansas City, MO; two nephews: Jerry Simmons and his wife, Tami, of Donnellson, IA, and Joseph Simmons and his wife, Jill, of Oklahoma City, OK;a niece, Katherine and Dr. Shawn Griffin of Missouri City, TX; great nieces and nephews: Justin, Aaron, Daniel, Jacob and Jonathan Griffin, Matthew James, Luke, and Abigail Simmons, and Bryce, Taylor and Kayden Simmons; aunts and uncles: Oneida and Wayne Bourgeois of Kahoka, Marjorie Redenius of Rushville, IL, Emma Lou Bevans of Kahoka, Esther and Earl Wayne Fishback of Dawson, IL, and David and Janet Lillard of Sedalia, MO; as well as cousins and other relatives.

Margaret graduated from Clark County R-1 High School in 1970 and received her B.S.E. in English in 1974 from Northeast Missouri State College at Kirksville. In 1982 she received her M.A. in English from the University of Iowa.

She began her career teaching Junior High Math and English at Dallas City, IL for four years and the next year at Blakesburg, IA. The next five years she worked at the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at the University of Iowa Hospital and scheduled the surgeries for that department. The past 24 years she was Director of the University of Iowa Alumni Records until her health began to fail early last fall.

Margaret was a member of St. Marks Methodist Church in Iowa City. She loved to cook and entertain and enjoyed making dinners, giving parties, teas and coffees for her many friends and neighbors. She was a fantastic candy maker and enjoyed that area of cooking most of all, especially during the Christmas holiday.

She enjoyed gardening and growing flowers and loved to travel and read. She volunteered at "The Bookend" in Iowa City where she was able to see much-loved and treasured books reused rather than destroyed. She loved playing with her nieces and nephews when they were younger and with their children in later years. However, more than anything, her cats were her life. Margaret was full of life, independent, and very courageous and positive in her spirit during her time with cancer. Cancer did not destroy her, just made her stronger. She never gave up.

Funeral services were held Monday, May 4, 2009, at 3 p.m. at the Amazing Grace Bible Church, north of Kahoka, MO, with Pastor Jared McAfee officiating. Burial was in the Providence Cemetery, Williamstown, MO.

Memorials were suggested to the Clark Co. Food Pantry.