Margaret H. (Thompson) Sorensen

Margaret Helen Sorensen (née Thompson) of Stoneham, Mass., died on Thursday, October 28, 2021, following a long illness. She was 95 years old.

Margaret was born at the Sunnyside Hospital in Somerville on June 7, 1926, to Arnold Kenneth and Rubena (Keddy) Thompson of Malden. As a child, she was a beloved and fun-loving older sister to Rubena Elizabeth, who died in 1994, and to Gilbert and Edna, both of whom survive her.

In 1941, when Margaret was almost 15, the family moved from Malden to Stoneham. With just one theater in the square, the new town felt small to her. She found much to enjoy at the Stoneham High School, however, participating in activities as diverse as prize speaking, basketball, and the glee club while also earning a place on the honor roll.

"Curly black hair, a flashing smile, and a warm friendly manner—that's Marg," proclaims the yearbook for the Class of 1944. "She's as pretty as she is popular, and that's a hard combination to beat." That combination helped Margaret (voted class sweetheart) to catch the attention of her classmate and future husband, Raymond Sorensen (class comedian), who now survives her.

Margaret graduated from high school in the midst of World War II, and found herself at work assembling transformers to aid in the war effort. She then entered the Bridgewater State Teachers College as a member of the Class of 1949, where she joined the Student Co-operative Association and the Dramatic Club. While able to complete only two years of study at Bridgewater, Margaret never abandoned her love of learning. She returned to the classroom almost thirty years later and earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern University with highest honors.

In the meantime, Margaret's life was changing in other ways. Having dated since high school, she and Raymond were married in Stoneham on August 20, 1949. Margaret became a caring mother to two daughters, Bette Jean and Marcia, both of whom survive her. She also leaves many loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

It was motherhood that prompted Margaret to obtain her first driver's license, and she could be seen driving about town in her cream-colored Buick well into her eighties. In an era when fewer women were working outside the home, let alone earning college degrees, Margaret taught kindergarten for several years at the First Unitarian Church in Stoneham. She later served as the director of the Stoneham Senior Center.

At home, Margaret was a lifelong poet. She wrote, not for the glamour of publication, but for her own peace of mind. Writing was a daily habit, one that near the end of her life would even help Margaret to combat the early effects of dementia. She also excelled in a wide range of textile arts. Her handmade quilts, afghans, wall hangings, crafts, and needlework now grace the homes of those whom she loved.

In later years, Margaret and her devoted husband Raymond enjoyed spending their summers on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. The couple celebrated 72 joyful years of marriage on August 20, 2021.

Family and friends are kindly invited to visiting hours on Monday, November 8, to share memories with Margaret's family at the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main St. (Rt. 28), STONEHAM, from 3–7 ᴘᴍ. Parking attendants and elevator available.

A funeral service celebrating Margaret will be held on Tuesday November 9 at the First Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Stoneham, at 11 ᴀᴍ. Interment will follow at the Puritan Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.

Please consider donations in memory of Margaret to The First Congregational Church's Food Bank 1 Church St. Stoneham MA 02180.