Margaret Christie, Community Volunteer, Dies at 95

Margaret Alice Christie (nee Stephens), 95, of Newport News, V.A., formerly of Hillsdale, N.J. died on Tuesday, January 14, 2014. 

Beloved wife of the late Cecil Mortimer Christie. Devoted mother of Patricia Benson Hertzler and her husband Harold of Newport News, V.A. and Tod Stephens Christie and his wife Mary-Jane of Park Ridge, N.J. Dear sister of the late Thomas Joseph Stephens. Loving grandmother of Carrie-Anne HertzlerWilhelm and her husband Matthew, Stephen Hertzler, Melinda Christie and Sarah Christie. Cherished great grandmother of Emily, Katherine, and Samantha Wilhelm, and Alya, Jacob and Cayden Hertzler. Dear aunt of Christopher, Eleanor and Merielle Stephens. 

Born September 21, 1918 in Brooklyn, N.Y. to the late Joseph Thomas and Alice Weiss Stephens. She graduated from Smith College in 1940 with a B.A. in Mathematics. Before retiring, she and her husband were the owner/operators of the Old Dominion Motel in Middletown, V.A. She also worked as an office supervisor for the U.S. Census and for Alba Johnson Real Estate, where she served as relocation director. She was a member of Hillsdale United Methodist Church and the Sundial Garden Club, Hillsdale, N.J.

Margaret was active in community service, as a Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den mother, a member of the Valley and Pascack Valley Hospital auxiliaries, a Hillsdale House Advisory Board member and Trustee, a member of United Methodist Women and Treasurer of Hillsdale United Methodist Church, among others.

She was a Master Gardener and an avid reader and enjoyed traveling, collecting family photographs and doing needlework. Most of all, she enjoyed being surrounded by her family.

The family will receive their friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, N.J. on Friday, January 24, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Service at Hillsdale United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 25 at 10 a.m. Interment, George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, N.J.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Margaret’s memory may be made to either the Hillsdale United Methodist Church or Hospice of Virginia Foundation, 1700 Bayberry Court, Suite 300, Richmond, Virginia 23226.