Margaret M. Gilman, aka Margaret Anne (with the “e”) Moffatt; aka Peggy

A dedicated teacher and lifelong learner has finished her earthly examination, turned in her paper and left the room. A short course of pancreatic cancer led to her death on 01/13/2021.

Born to and predeceased by Thomas L. and Margaret L Moffatt of Silver Spring, Maryland in 1938, she attended The Academy of the Holy Names in Silver Spring with accomplishments in basketball and piano as well as academics, followed by Trinity College in Washington DC (and has been forever known as “Tillie” to those friends after a theatrical role). Captured early after college by a job in Virginia Beach, the “once and future” Beach Teacher was ever the Hispanophile with graduate training and travel resulting in friends across the country and around much of the globe. There was a hiatus, with residence in New York (Dobbs’ Ferry, Tarrytown, White Plains), enchanted to stay there by a Yankee Spirit, her husband Stan Gilman – teaching Spanish all the while. Delta Kappa Gamma (the professional society for women educators) benefitted from her membership and service, first in New York and then in Virginia where she was president 2000-2002.

Retirement, a relative term, brought the pair back to Virginia Beach where they “lived happily ever after” until Stan’s death in 2011. She continued to teach for years at Tidewater Community College. Connecting with old friends and making new ones led to her move to Westminster Canterbury until her final illness.

Left to remember and celebrate her are her brother Tom Moffatt (who may not have ever reached maturity without her guidance and protection) his wife, her sister-in-law Sharon Moffatt and their sons, her nephews (see parenthetical note about Tom above) Joe and Dave Moffatt. Fran Garrou, another “Beach Teacher,” and recent roommate is certainly “first among equals” in a universe of numerous friends from education, travel, other experiences (not a “shrinking violet,” she) and cousins with whom she kept in touch. There may also be one or two students (perhaps tens? hundreds? thousands?) who especially benefited from her knowledge, insight and caring who will remember her.

If St Peter couldn’t speak Spanish without an interpreter before, we can expect him to when/if we get there.

Services, because of COVID-19 concerns, will be limited to family at Gate of Heaven cemetery in Olney Maryland.

Prayers, good wishes and/or contributions may be made to, or on behalf of, Delta Kappa Gamma or Child Fund International. Find a positive Spanish phrase to say to people this week.