MARGARET J. IRISH

ST. ALBANS – Margaret J. Irish, a lifelong resident, passed away Friday Sept. 30, 2016, at the Franklin County Rehab with her daughter/granddaughter, Toni at her side.
Born in St. Albans on Oct. 28, 1924, she was the daughter of the late, Clifford and Etta (Casey) Jones. Margaret was 91 years old.
On March 23, 1945, in St. Albans, Margaret married Stuart C. Irish, who predeceased her on Aug. 20, 1999.
Margaret was a 1942 graduate of Bellows Free Academy and went on to be manager of the first Sears and Roebuck order office in St. Albans. Following her retirement from the Union Carbide, she along with Stuart, were owners of ‘Grandma’s Place’ antique shop for twenty years. She was a longtime member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the Autonoe Club and was an expert bridge player. When she was in her eighties, she decided she wanted to learn all she could about computers, and enjoyed spending time playing bridge online, using e-mail and Facebook, and reading online newspapers. Margaret was a very loving and caring person, who spent her entire life helping people and always put the needs of others before her own.
Survivors include her daughter/granddaughter, Tonja ‘Toni’ Irish Gray of St. Albans and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to her parents and her husband, Stuart, Margaret was predeceased by her daughter, Peggy Irish Gray on Dec. 9, 1974 and her brothers and their wives, Clelan and Lila Jones, Clinton Jones and Simone Peno, and Garnet and Lorraine Jones.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main Street, St. Albans.
A funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the Heald Chapel with the Reverend Megan Stowe officiating. Interment will follow in the family lot in the St. Albans Bay Cemetery.
With Margaret’s love for animals, memorials in her name may be made to the Franklin County Animal Rescue, 30 Sunset Meadow, St. Albans, VT 05478.
To send Margaret’s family a written expression of sympathy, please visit our on-line guest book at www.healdfuneralhome.com.