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| Margaret Vinyard |
Margaret Jefferson in Urich, Missouri, to Tom and Mary Jefferson on May 23, 1932. She grew up in Urich, attending Urich Presbyterian Church and graduating from Urich High School in
1951, where she lettered in basketball. She studied elementary education at Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg and cherished the memories she made there. Margaret taught first grade at Garden City (MO) School for three years. During this time, she met Robert Vinyard at church which his family began attending after moving to a local farm.
They were married May 20, 1956, at Urich Presbyterian Church and recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. After marrying, they moved to Pittsburgh, PA, for a year while Bob was in the Army, then Margaret and infant son Phillip moved back to Urich and lived with family for a year while Bob served in Korea. When he was discharged from the Army in 1958, they moved to Kansas City, settling in the Hickman Mills area where daughter Dyanne was born. Margaret and Bob were active members of Ruskin Heights Presbyterian Church and founding members of Mariners, a service and fellowship group in which they made many lifelong friends. In 1979, she and Bob moved to Nevada, Missouri, when Bob took over the family business, Vinyard Farm & Home Supply. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Nevada.
Margaret was a homemaker and an active volunteer. Some of her volunteer activities included the Well Baby Clinic held at Ruskin Heights Presbyterian Church, Symington School PTA, Picture Ladies (through the Nelson Art Gallery), Baptist Hospital Auxiliary, Cub Scout Den Leader, and Meals on Wheels delivery.
She tirelessly attended orchestra and choir concerts, plays, sporting events, and dance recitals for her children and grandchildren. She loved meeting friends for coffee, and she also enjoyed playing bridge. Other favorite activities were watching cooking shows on tv, doing word puzzles, reading, shopping, traveling with her husband, spending time with her children and grandchildren, and enjoying time spent at their lake house.
She was a good friend, a good sport, and a good listener, and her passing will leave an empty place in many hearts. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Thomas Bradley Jefferson, and her aunts Edith and Daisy Jefferson, who were like second parents to her.
Survivors include her husband Bob, son Phil and wife Julia of Columbia, Missouri, daughter Dyanne and husband David of Joplin, Missouri, grandchildren Amy Vinyard, Kyle Dillon and Emma Dillon, a sisterinlaw, Mary Anne Gordon and husband Gale of Kirksville, Missouri, and a brotherinlaw,
David Vinyard and wife Fiona of Cape Coral, Florida. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, and many, many friends, near and far.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 23, at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Nevada, Missouri, with Rev. Greg Ferree officiating. Visitation will follow in Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Margaret’s memory to the Urich Community Historical Society or the Vernon County Youth Fair in care of Ferry Funeral Home.
