Marguerite E. Willett

West Warren-Marguerite "Maggie" Willett, 89, passed away at home on October 27, surrounded by her family.   Born in Lahaina, Hawaii on August 18, 1924, Maggie grew up on a sugar cane plantation.  As a teenager, she witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor and later served in the civilian Women's Air Raid Defense in World War II.  She moved to the mainland United States in 1948 and worked in the newspaper business and as a cattle rancher.  Maggie was admired for the "can do" attitude she brought to any project, and was equally happy wielding a hammer for Habitat for Humanity or arranging flowers for a local charity event.  She had a zest for adventures in her camper and a love for animals who often served as her intrepid traveling companions.   Her most recent project, completed a week before her death, was writing a children's story about life on the farm for the daycare adjacent to the Summit Eldercare Day Room in Spencer, Massachusetts.

Maggie is survived by her five children and their families:  James E. Taylor (Jean Wurster), of Salisbury, North Carolina; Maile E. Roper of Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Harriet Blanton O'Brien (Tim  O'Brien) of West Warren, Massachusetts; Dee Blanton (Ken Elowe) of West Brookfield, Massachusetts; Alexander "Buzz" Blanton (Carol Siguenza) of Little Rock, Arkansas, and her grandchildren Tillie, Kahlil, Betsy, Tom, Will, Corey, Alex, Taylor, Cece, and Daniel.  She was blessed with a loving extended family all over the United States and many friends.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her memory to Socks for Siberia ( http://www.socksforsiberia.org/hel/ ) or the Animal Rescue League of Lawrence County ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-County-Animal-Rescue-League/271789566842 , P.O. Box 732 Monticello MS 39654