Margaret Elizabeth McGimsey

Margaret Elizabeth McGimsey, 95, of NC 181, Morganton, NC, died Monday, January 7, 2008 at her residence. Born in Burke County, NC on January 6, 1913, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Alphonso McGimsey and Margaret Lucille McGimsey. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph A. McGimsey, Jr.In 1944 she became the first educator in Burke County to earn a Master’s degree. She was also the very first "Teacher of the Year" in Burke County public schools. It was decided by a county-wide vote for the educational year of 1972-1973. In 1952 she was one of 28 teachers from the U.S. invited to Washington for a conference on teacher workloads. She taught in the Burke County School System for 43 years. Margaret was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma for 63 years. The oldest member of Mountain Grove United Methodist Church, she received the Methodist Woman’s Award and was awarded a Life Membership Pin many years ago.She is survived by her brother, David McGimsey of Morganton; a sister, Anna Sue Fess and husband, Albert E. of Rochester, NY; nieces, Carol Helfond and husband, Geoff, and Margaret Fox and husband, Gordon, all of Rochester; nephews, David Fess and Edward Fess and wife, Connie, all of Rochester; and eight great-nieces and nephews.The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m., Thursday, January 10, 2008 at Mountain Grove United Methodist Church with the Reverends Cornelius Brantly, Karen Kajiyama, Charles Sisk, and Betty Henson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes prior to the funeral hour. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mtn. Grove United Methodist Church, 3625 Fish Hatchery Rd., Morganton, NC, 28655, Brown-McGimsey Scholarship Fund, c/o Howard Sercery, 2516 NC 181, Morganton, NC 28655, or the Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.