Margaret F. Ainslie

Margaret F. Ainslie, (nee Fay), age 89, of the Cedar Community in the town of West Bend, passed away on Saturday, November 19, 2005 at the Cedar Lake Health Care Center.

She was born on September 9, 1916 in Dolgeville, NY, to the late H. Stuart and Ellen (nee Futherup) Fay. In 1934 she graduated from Ilion High School in Ilion, NY. One year later, in 1935 she graduated from the Utica School of Commerce. Margaret's ambition was to become a nurse, and in 1939 she graduated with an MS in nursing from the Presbyterian School of Nursing and began working at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY.

She was united in marriage to Robert B. Ainslie, on December 28, 1940, at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Ilion, NY. Together she and her husband lived in Syracuse for six months before moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 1941 where her husband completed a Fellowship in Surgery at Cleveland Clinic.

In 1942 Margaret and Bob were appointed as missionaries to China; Bob left in March of 1943; however Margaret was unable to get passage because of the War and so she returned to Ilion. In 1947 Margaret followed Bob to West China, with their daughter Susan, where they lived until May, 1949 when they had to leave due to Communist infiltration. From 1949 to 1952 Margaret set up home in the Philippines and taught student nurses at the American Baptist Hospital in Iloilo. She and her family returned to the United States in 1952 and moved to Cleveland, OH where they lived until 1954. The family then moved to Madison, WI where they remained until 1983.

Margaret was not only a skilled nurse but also a devoted wife, mother and homemaker. She loved sewing, knitting, embroidering, and gardening; she served many hours as a member of the Methodist Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary in Madison. Margaret was also an active member at Lake Edge United Church of Christ, Madison. When she & Bob moved to Penney Farms Retirement Community, in Florida in 1983, Margaret was again active in sewing and quilting activities. She also reestablished herself as a trumpet player -which she had played in high school. Margaret returned to Wisconsin with Bob in December of 2002 where they resided at Cedar Community in West Bend.

Margaret is survived by her daughter, Susan (Roy) Sellars of Sheboygan; three sons, John (Christine) Ainslie of Sun Prairie, Fred (Christine) Ainslie of Ironwood, MI, and William (Vicki) Ainslie of Atlanta, GA; a daughter-in-law, Terry Ainslie of Milwaukee; a sister, Dorothy (William) Slocum of Belleview, FL; and two brothers, Robert Fay of Carrabelle, FL, and William Fay of Little River, SC. She is further survived by 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert, a son, Tom, and her great- great-granddaughter, Breanna Maree Loomis.

A memorial service for Margaret will be held on Saturday, December 3rd at 11:00 a.m. at Lake Edge United Church of Christ, 4200 Buckeye Rd., Madison, WI. Rev. David Michael will officiate the service. Visitation will be at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to either the Alzheimer's Association (6130 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53214) or to Cedar Community (5595 Cty. Rd. Z, West Bend, WI 53095).

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