In Memory

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Please donate to suicide prevention in Margaret's memory: Suicide Prevention Action Network, Georgia

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Margaret Elizabeth Ronan, loving daughter, sister and friend to many, passed away on April 10, 2019, and is now living her eternal life in peace to the fullest. Margaret was a long time Georgian, nurse, gem collector, extraordinary caregiver and great friend to all. Margaret was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 21, 1951. At age 12, she moved to Atlanta. She attended Briarcliff High School. Upon graduation, she attended nursing school. Margaret was the sole caregiver for her mother for many years and spoke fondly of their memorable road trips. She was adored by the animals in her life, including the dogs and cats that she cared for, especially her cat Punkin. Margaret truly appreciated and loved nature. She had the most fantastic laugh; she would tell a funny joke and add, “You know what I mean?” Margaret enjoyed holiday dinners with friends and enriched their lives with her presence.

She is survived by her brother Patrick; his children Nicole, Chellie and Marc; as well as many friends in Atlanta. Margaret was preceded in death by her mother Elizabeth “Betty” and father Dr. William “Bill”.

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Margaret Ronan

by Kim Cochran, GMS Member and Longtime Friend

In 1974, I attended the first GMS bus trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas. On that trip, I met a very jovial member, Betty Ronan. Betty was always laughing. There was humor in everything. A few months later, I met Betty’s daughter, Margaret. Margaret was a pint-sized version of her mother. We immediately became friends. Like me, she often had a sick sense of humor. She became my older little sister. On field trips, Margaret was not about to let others outdo her. She may not have hauled out the biggest piece, but she had what she thought she needed. She was not one of those members who would fill her buckets and then sweet talk someone into hauling it out for her. She collected it, she would get it out herself.

She loved attending meetings. There were no strangers. She would walk up and talk to anyone. The kids loved her also, being of similar size, they had something in common. If there was a meeting of any kind, you could expect her to be there. I believe that the grab bag stuffing parties were her favorites. She spent hours breaking rocks to fit into the bags.

She had worked many jobs, among them was nuclear medicine and landscaping. I believe that her favorite was her dog walking service. She had many tales of encounters between the dogs and local wildlife.

Last summer, her health began to fail. She attended fewer meetings. And then she was gone!

I don’t believe that Margaret ever knew how much she was loved by our members and her neighbors. I hope that she is in a happy place galloping on all fours and whinnying like a horse. I will miss her greatly.

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Remember Margaret

by Lori Carter, GMS Member

Margaret always had a cheerful almost childlike excitement about hearing and discussing a variety of topics, sometimes so much so that she would talk while a speaker was doing a presentation, only to be shushed by those around her, but that was Margaret. And we were not annoyed, because, well, that was Margaret.

I remember our camaraderie as not small, but "fun size" people, and how small things made her happy. Her purse was filled with an odd assortment of objects that she would magically produce at equally odd times. There were things like a piece of coprolite with a dinosaur carved on it, a tiny medical camera that had taken a photographic tour of her digestive system, and a neon green monster finger puppet that Anita gave her. That simple little finger puppet brought her endless joy. That was Margaret.

As you look at the pictures below, remember Margaret. And although each of us lost a little bit of ourselves with her, remember that she left a little piece of herself with each of us.