After nearly 95 years of a life well lived Margaret has passed through and moved on.

Margaret and her family are long time Island residents. Margaret's Grandfather, W. A. Spalding, first came to Vashon Island 1870's. He coined the name "Cedarhurst" for the little community on the Northwest side of the Vashon so that the US Post Office (one of 9 at the time) could be established for deliveries by the Mosquito and Virginia fleets to deliver to the residents in that area as a registered address and destination. Margaret's fathers sister served as one of the first female US Post Masters in Washington State having the mail delivered to their dock and house..

Margaret was born to Mina May Jones Spalding and Hubert Alvin Spalding and grew up on Vashon Island, Cedarhurst area.

At 12 years old she and two girl friends from up the beach rowed, square sailed and camped their way around Vashon-Maury Island. It took three to four days to make the complete circuit.

She attended Vashon Elementary School in the Old Vashon School built by the Steen Brothers and then graduated Vashon High School with honors as did her father before her, graduating in 1912.

She went on to attend Seattle Pacific University and work her way through her university years as a nanny residing in Queen Anne area.

While she was at Seattle Pacific University, she met a class mate, Leon A Rosser, whom she later married and moved back to Vashon Island. Leon and Margaret were married 27 September 1940 at the Vashon Presbyterian Church. A church her Grandfather helped establish here on Vashon.

Leon and Margaret bought a 15 acre tract of land from Olaf and Olava Steen one of the original Steen brothers who were also founding family's here on Vashon. Over the years since taking ownership in of the parcels in 1942, Leon and Margaret built two houses, one burning to the ground January 1946. The home and property is yet in the family name now to one of their daughters.

Margaret and Leon had 9 children, 8 of which lived to adulthood.

Margaret was the first female bus driver here on Vashon Maury Island and worked for the Vashon School District as a bus driver for 17 years. She then went back to school and retained her certification to teach Drivers Education through the Vashon School District and became the first female Drivers Education Teacher here on Vashon Island.

She worked at the Wall Flower, now Herban Bloom, for the Mace family here on Vashon, developing one of the original ear tags for dogs industries, served as Vice-President of PTA for Vashon-Maury Island, stood as a Girl Scout & Boy Scout Leader, active in helping folks attain their right to vote, a DAR woman, was a Junior Choir Conductor, a Bell Ringing Maestro, a cook/chef on the Gallant Lady Cruises, teaching Viet Namesse and Cambodian Immigrants English, knitting sweaters for those in need, sewed many Quilts for kids, Active member in her church, Docent for the Vashon Heritage Museum and various and assorted projects supporting and providing her efforts towards building a better Vashon-Maury Community .

Margaret had a ready smile. her word was to be easily counted as her contract and commitment. She was loving and always having room for yet one more to come into her flock.

Her home life was ever active with her children and church family. There was ALWAYS activity in and around her home and especially kitchen. Pulling up yet another chair to the nearly 10 foot by 4 foot dinning room table and squeeze another in to the family was never a problem. To leave out others in need was never an option. Though she had little she always had enough to share with others around her. Both Margaret and Leon had these similar life values so they supported each other in decisions to surround others with love and not just the words but the actions behind the words to encompass and care. They lived their beliefs.

Margaret sought and fostered extra children along the way, took in and supported a number of exchange students and often allowed family and friends in need of a place to rest their heads to dwell in her home for whatever time was necessary to help them on their path and way.

Margaret was an extraordinary woman stepping in to many roles in her life time that would have been considered but for a man. A "liberated" woman prior to the creation of the title.

Margaret was an avid reader and extremely intelligent woman. She helped provide editing advice in a behind the scenes manner by manuscript reading and advising to some of our Island writers.

Margaret had a great faith and greatest of all lived her faith and belief. Margaret set an example and guideline to those of us who come after her to step up and follow should we so choose. She accomplished her kindness's with grace and ease. One of her mottos, "you can get more bee's with honey than with vinegar", another "you will know them by the result of their actions, not their necessarily their words".

Margaret is proceeded in death by her husband Leon Albert, daughters Terri Sue, Mary Joann, Nancy Lou and son "Skip" Hubert Leavy.

Margaret is survived by her brother Glenn Spalding and her sister Donna Spauding Douglass, 5 of her children; daughters, Leona May, Marna Dee (husband Andrew Woody), Dorothy Bell (husband Walter Wamsley), Gay and son Thomas Spalding (wife Debra Garcia), 18 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren and counting…one more soon to be born in March 2016, numerous nieces and nephews, greats, grands and great-great's and though each vastly precious and important, too numerous to individually name al here-in.

She will be greatly missed by her many friends and family she attracted and gathered around her.

A Memorial will be held Saturday 27 February 2016 at the Vashon Methodist Church at 2 PM.

Memorial contributions are requested to be made to the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum, Vashon Methodist Church, Vashon Senior Center, Vashon Community Care, Vashon Food Bank or Vashon-Maury Youth and Family Services

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