Margaret Lee Wettling, age 91, of Main Township passed away peacefully on February 18, 2024, at a care home operated by Family Home Medical Health Agency in Mt. Carmel.
Margaret was born on August 31, 1932, in Liverpool, England, the only child of the late G. Brian and Marjorie Lee. She grew up in nearby Neston and attended Birkenhead High School for Girls, graduating in 1950. She then attended Gregg Secretarial College.
After various secretarial jobs in England, she moved to New York in 1964, then to Washington, D.C., finally to Boulder, Colorado and Portland, Oregon. In 1969 she married Charles Robert Wettling. They eventually lived in Washington, D.C. until they moved to the Bloomsburg Area in 1977. They had no children.
In Bloomsburg she found time to follow her many interests. She was an advocate for mental health and was an Executive Director of the former Mental Health Association of Columbia & Montour Counties. She was a passionate gardener and had a weed-free vegetable garden and lots of flower beds. She loved to entertain at small dinner gatherings with food from her own garden. Margaret was a member of the Herb Guild. Ever an athlete, she engaged in hiking, biking, skiing, rock climbing, and especially tennis.
Margaret was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Bloomsburg. She served on the vestry and was a member of the Altar Guild for many years. She loved to read, particularly poetry and non-fiction, and was a past president of the Ivy Club. She was a supporter of and contributor to the Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble. Music was another interest; she played the recorder with a local group.
One of Margaret's favorite activities was English Country Dancing. She began dancing as a young adult and continued with some expert dancers until her mid-seventies. For many years she organized with her husband a "Friday Night Dance" group at the University and later at the Episcopal Church. A wide variety of dancers enjoyed participating in English, contra, and Scottish dancing. She was a great dance teacher!
Following the death of her parents and the sale of their home in Neston, she purchased a townhouse in that town and on frequent visits kept in contact with her innumerable friends, her God children, and her few relatives. She also used that home as her study base when she decided to study for an Open University degree, proudly graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Margaret was indeed a world traveler! Some of her more adventurous destinations were China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Southeastern Asia, Egypt, Jordan, and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. She knew how to pack light and move quickly. When she came home, she would document her travels in summaries to share her experiences with her friends.
She is survived by a cousin, Peter Lee, of England.
In accordance with her wishes, Margaret's ashes will be scattered in the Lake District of England, from where her love of climbing led directly to her move to the States.
Requiem Eucharist Services will begin on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11:00 am at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 101 E. Main St., Bloomsburg, with Deacon James Jenkins, Celebrant. The Allen Funeral Home, Inc. 745 Market at Eighth Street, Bloomsburg is honored to be serving the Wettling family.
Memorial contributions in Margaret's name are suggested to: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, PO Box 764, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.