Myrtle Margaret McCarthy went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 27, 2011. Her family has the utmost assurance and confidence of her new address. Margaret (she did not like Myrtle) led a full and complete life for almost 98 years.

She was born in 1914 to Alvin and Ella Jande in LaCrosse, Wis. She loved school and graduated from high school at 16. She, along with her parents and older brother, Ervin, opened one of the first A&W Root Beer stands in Madison, Wis. During the Depression, she was the sole supporter of her family, working for the telephone company. The Depression had a profound effect on her as she would stop and pick up stray pennies all her life. In 1939, at the concerned protest of her parents, she moved to Southern California to attend the Los Angeles Art Institute. As World War II began, she continued her studies as well as working full time for Lockheed illustrating maintenance and assembly manuals for P38 aircraft.

She met her husband, Terence Wallace McCarthy, in Pasadena, Calif., and while she had numerous marriage proposals, she knew he was the one for her. They married in 1947, and shortly thereafter, owned and developed resort cabins in Big Bear, Calif. They had one son, Kelly, in 1955. They moved several times between California and Idaho, taking them where her husband, a building contractor, would have work. Terence passed away in 1970, and Margaret and Kelly found a permanent home in Caldwell, Idaho.  Margaret was a floral designer for 20 years with Valley Floral in Caldwell. Upon her retirement, she moved to Dallas to live with her son and daughter-in-law, Cindy. Several months after moving to Texas, she became a grandmother to Keegan, a freshman in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, and five years later to Calder, an eighth-grader at Hudson Middle School in Sachse.

Margaret used her art education as a watercolor artist for over 70 years. She traveled the world painting landscapes, seascapes, and most recently the historical sugar mills in Hawaii. Some of her favorite stops were Greece, Hawaii, Tahiti and Northwest U.S. Her artwork hangs in private and institutional collections across the country. Her passion for painting had her working at her table until four days before her death.

She leaves behind innumerable friends, young and old, who were inspired by her easy, sweet manner, kindness and interest in others and her zest for life. She lived an enviable life with the same hills and valleys that plague each of us. She followed her passion for people and painting until she simply wore out.

Margaret is survived by her son Kelly of Sachse, daughter-in-law Cindy (Buck), and grandsons Keegan and Calder.  A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Murphy Road Baptist Church, 411 S. Murphy Rd. in Murphy. Memorials may be given to Firewheel Bible Fellowship, Building Fund, 705 W. Ave. B, Ste. 306, Garland, TX 75040.