Kinkead, Marguerite Ruth Pettigrew

Marguerite Ruth Pettigrew Kinkead, 95, of Cedar Rapids, died Aug. 13, 2011, at Keystone Cedars. Memorial services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Bill Warhover officiating. The family will greet guests an hour before the service.

Survivors include her children, Sylvia (Edward) Popelka of Cedar Rapids, Lewis (Bev) Kinkead of Indianapolis, Rebecca Companie (Eric) of La Chapelle, France, and Betty (John) Kay of Jacksonville, Ill.; brother, Beryl (Marge) Pettigrew of Boulder, Colo.; sisters, Ellen MacKay of San Diego, Calif., Mary Stoltz of Ottumwa, Frances Haller of Rock Island, Ill., and Harriet Byrd of Denver, Colo.; grandchildren: Margret (Matthew) Duvall, Evanston, Ill.; Rebecca Popelka (Bruce Ayati), Iowa City; Sarah (Steven) Davis, North Liberty; Hugo and Margo Companie, LaChapelle, France; Kathryn and Kristopher Kinkead, Indianapolis; and Lisa Popelka, Portland, Ore.; great-grandchildren: Ellie Reavis, Eva and Julian Duvall and Josie Davis; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvia and Benton Pettigrew; her husband, Vernon Kinkead; and one brother, Lewis Pettigrew.

Marguerite was born in Wayne County, Iowa on April 6, 1916. She graduated valedictorian from Leon High School in 1934. She attended junior college in Chariton, Iowa, and after receiving her two-year degree, she began teaching school. She earned a B.A. from Iowa State Teachers College and did graduate work at the University of Iowa. She taught in many schools in Iowa.

In 1962, she began teaching kindergarten in the Cedar Rapids Community Schools, retiring in1981. In 1943, she married Vernon Kinkead in Ottumwa. They were married for 55 years. Marguerite was an active member of Echo Hill Presbyterian Church and Chapter KK, PEO.

She enjoyed her bridge club, book club, sewing club, the walking group and the retired teachers organizations. Marguerite loved gardening, music, nature, poetry and Scrabble. She and Vernon traveled widely after her retirement. They particularly loved visits to France.

She was a positive, generous woman who touched many lives and will be greatly missed by both her family and her friends.

Marguerite requested that rather than flowers memorial gifts be given to Echo Hill Presbyterian Church.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Keystone Cedars and Iowa Hospice for their loving care.