Margaret Voorhees

August 19, 1928 May 11, 2019

Margaret Joan Schatz Voorhees died at home. She was the youngest of four children born to Gottlieb and Mary Schatz in Platte, South Dakota. She is survived by daughters Beth & Christa Rypins, and was survived briefly by husband Ralph Voorhees. She was predeceased by parents, daughter Alexandria and siblings Eileen Harris, Thomas Schatz and Mary Grangard. Throughout 90 years of life she retained boundless curiosity, spirit of adventure, love of reading and enjoyment of political discourse. She had the strong work ethic and frugal nature of her ancestors further honed by the Great Depression. Her father was a chiropractor and the first horse racing commissioner of South Dakota and her mother a teacher which contributed to love of education and affinity for horses.

Her independence and adventurousness brought her to Miss Brown’s School of Business in Milwaukee and then to Alaska before finding her forever home in San Francisco. She worked as a secretary and a hat check girl while attending SFSU, graduated with a degree in geography, and pursued her interest in maps and the world by studying history.

Marriage to Martin Rypins in 1956 brought daughters Alexandria in 1958 and twins Beth & Christa in 1963. Unexpectedly single with three children in 1966, she returned to SFSU and was credentialled as a special education teacher with the help of the Scholarship for Single Mothers with Children to which she contributed consistently afterwards. Margaret and Ralph Voorhees married in 1970 and remained together until her death. Ralph came to the marriage with six children and Margaret welcomed each of them with open arms. At her behest, the large conjoined family spent many summers canoeing, camping and having fun. She was a mermaid at heart and swam competitively into her 80s, winning many awards and even setting world records on relay teams. She greatly enjoyed travel and dining. She was generous with her time and home, taught reading in the classroom and volunteered countless hours sharing her love of books and language.

Celebration of Life will be held on Sept. 2nd at the Pioneer Cabin Grove in GG Park at 11.30AM. A scholarship for Single Parents With Children has been set up in Margaret’s name at SFSU. In lieu of flowers please donate: https://bit.ly/2PemFLX