Margaret Llewellyn Hutchison

Margaret Llewellyn Hutchison of Suttons Bay, Michigan, age 84, died on Friday December 6, 2024, in the presence of her family at Orchard Creek Skilled Nursing Care in Traverse City She was born on August 6, 1940, in Niles, Ohio, the only child of Eddie Lewellyn and Grace (Woodford) Llewellyn. She married James (Jim) Hutchison on June 15, 1963, in Lexington, Ky. Margaret attended school in Lexington, after her father’s transfer by General Electric from Niles. She was active in Girl Scouts, dancing, marching band, and in attending formal balls in the southern tradition. She was a member of a mountain square dance team of Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts that allowed her to become an official member of the Boy Scouts. She attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Oh., where she studied biology and met Jim. As a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, she formed a life-long bond with sisters that actively continues to this day. Following graduation in 1962 she taught high school biology in Lexington for one year, while Jim started graduate school. They married in 1963 and resided in Princeton, Nj. for three years. After two years of teaching high school biology in Trenton she retired from teaching to embrace motherhood. Margaret’s greatest joy was being a Mom. The birth of daughter Claire in 1966 was the beginning of a 17-year career as a full-time, stay-at-home Mom. The family moved to Swarthmore, Pa. in 1966 when Jim joined the Swarthmore College faculty. Sons Bob and David were born in 1967 and 1971. The family moved to Alma, Mi. in 1973 when Jim joined the Alma College faculty. Son Matt was born in 1974. Margaret was actively involved in the academic and athletic pursuits of her children. Swimming became the passion of the family; each of the four children participated in club swimming, four years of high school swimming, and four years of college swimming. The family were active members of Alma Presbyterian Church. Other activities were camping, sailing, travel to Florida where her retired parents lived, and stays at a vacation home in Suttons Bay. Margaret began preparation for her post, full-time-Mom future by taking classes at Alma College. She found a new love in the structure of accounting. She became a full-time accountant in 1983 for a small company in Alma and later as an accountant at Firstbank-Alma where, within a few years, she was named Corporate Controller. Her skills as Mom flavored her management of the staff of bookkeepers and accountants. She retired in 2004. Margaret and Jim became full-time Suttons Bay residents in 2007 after Jim’s retirement. The couple became active members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Traverse City. She was a volunteer Treasurer for the church and for the PEO Chapter in Suttons Bay. In addition to cross-country trips to visit children and grandchildren, she enjoyed sailing, RV traveling, and trips to Hawaii and Europe. Her three-year journey of declining health began after a fall in October 2021. Recovery from bone fractures required several stays at the hospital and skilled nursing facilities. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease came in March 2024. Many PT sessions and her purple-framed, four-wheel walker gave her mobility during this time. In the past year she was able to travel to Hawaii and to New York City and to host a reunion of children and grandchildren in Suttons Bay in July. Margaret is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years, Jim, and her four children and four grandchildren. Children: Claire Hutchison, Suttons Bay, Robert Hutchison (Susan Annis) Arlington, Va., David Hutchison (Shari Galiardi) Boone, N.C., J. Matthew Hutchison (Aleia McCord) Madison Wi. Grandchildren: Emma, New York City, TJ, Arlington, Va., Charlie and Maeve, Madison, Wi. A Memorial Service will take place at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1050 Peninsula Drive, Traverse City, Mi, on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 11:00 am. Visitation will begin one hour earlier. The family expresses profound gratitude for the extraordinary loving care by the staff of Munson Hospital, Orchard Creek Skilled Nursing Care, Hospice of Michigan, Leelanau Physical Therapy, and Fyzical Physical Therapy. Those wishing to offer expressions of sympathy are encouraged to make a memorial contribution to the Michigan Parkinson Foundation, https://parkinsonsmi.org/support/ or to Hospice of Michigan, https://www.hom.org/donate/.

Margaret Llewellyn Hutchison

August 6, 1940 - December 6, 2024