Margaret Stambaugh

Stambaugh—Margaret Stambaugh, 89, on August 3, 2022, at Friends House retirement community in Sandy Spring, Md. Margaret was born on January 10, 1933, the oldest of three daughters, in Watford, England. The family moved to Chingford Essex (outside of London), where she was living in 1939 when World War II started. When bombing began, Margaret’s mother moved with her children to live with her aunt in Devonshire. It was not an easy adjustment for Margaret. She completed one year of high school in Devonshire. They moved again and she finished high school in Barnstaple, in North Devon.

Margaret’s family was English Baptist. When her father, who was a pacifist, joined them in Devon, her mother embraced pacifism and joined a Quaker meeting. Margaret loved going to yearly meeting with her mother. When she was 18, Margaret became a member.

During her final year at Ackworth School (a Quaker boarding school), Margaret took part in many demonstrations. She participated in Quaker workcamps every summer until she was 25. Margaret received a full scholarship to Rachel McMillan College of London, where she studied early childhood education. While at college, Margaret served tea to Princess Margaret when she came to dedicate a new building.

Margaret taught for four years in a two-room country school in Devon. She bicycled five miles to school every day. Then, for two years, she codirected a Quaker youth group in Reading, Berkshire. She took the group to Vienna, where she fell in love with, and later married, her tour guide.

At that time, Margaret was a member of Reading (England) Meeting. She went to Austria to teach in the Vienna International Community School run by four embassies: American, Canadian, British, and Indian. After the school split, Margaret taught at the American International School outside of Vienna for 11 years. She played field hockey for the Austrian international team.

In 1962, Margaret gave birth to her only child, Anna. After Margaret and her husband divorced, she and Anna moved to the United States. Margaret taught at Westminster Elementary School in Carroll County, Md. She was introduced to Dick Stambaugh by a friend. They married on March 27, 1971. Margaret and Anna moved to Dick’s family farm in Thurmont, Md., where she helped raise Dick’s two children, Kimmy and Hobie. Margaret quit teaching until the children were grown, at which time she worked for Head Start.

Margaret learned of Pipe Creek Meeting in Union Bridge, Md. She was glad to attend weekly, quarterly, and yearly meetings. Later she learned of Gettysburg (Pa.) Meeting, which was closer to her home. Margaret served Gettysburg Meeting as co-clerk and clerk for many years. She still enjoyed visiting the Pipe Creek Meetinghouse, as well.

Margaret served two terms as a member of Ministry and Counsel Committee. She helped to form an ad hoc committee for gay and lesbian concerns in 1993, which she co-clerked for more than ten years. Margaret served on various other committees. She worked tirelessly on the Faith and Practice Revision Committee for ten years. Margaret was a faithful participant in Baltimore Yearly Meeting sessions, its interim meetings, and Warrington Quarterly meetings.

Margaret enjoyed swimming, bird-watching, gardening, and walking. She became a U.S. citizen in 2008, so that she could vote for Barack Obama for president.

In 2022, Margaret moved to Friends House retirement community in Sandy Spring, Md. She brought a presence of cheerfulness, gratitude, and hope in spite of physical difficulties. She was a guiding light for Gettysburg Meeting.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Dick Stambaugh; stepson, Hobie; and two sisters. She is survived by one child, Anna Verhoeff (Rodney); and by family members in Maryland, England, Ireland, Switzerland, and Africa.

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