Margaret Anne Rutkowski, 91, of State College died June 15, 2014 at the home of her daughter, Carol Gall, in Jim Thorpe, PA.
Born May 22, 1923 in Exeter, Devon, England she was a daughter of the late Frederick and Beatrice (King) Drewe.
Margaret was a tele-typist during WWII for the British Civil Service and helped care for evacuee children from London. She married John, a US Navy Seebee, on April 3, 1945 and came to the United States with other war brides on the Queen Mary in 1946. Margaret was a dedicated homemaker, seamstress, knitter, and baker. To help her daughters with college expenses she then worked in quality control for GE and Channel Products in OH. She loved nature and was an avid gardener and hiker. She was a member of the Kirtland garden club, Metroparks hiking group, and the Holden Arboretum when she lived in Ohio. Upon her move to State College in 2008, she became a member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Gray’s Woods; a community that provided much love and support to her.
She is survived by her two daughters, Joanne Rutkowski (Arthur S. Dervaes) of State College and Carol (Mark) Gall of Jim Thorpe; two granddaughters, Megan Drewe Gall and Kelsey Anne Gall both of New York; one sister, Dorothy “Doff” Ponting of Lyme Regis, Devon, England and eight nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by John R. Rutkowski, two infant sons (Mel and John), and her siblings Beatrice “Bo” Biggin-Pound, Olive “Olly” Tuson and Leslie “Les” Drewe.
A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 687 Gray’s Wood Blvd., State College, PA 16803 with the Rev. Father Charlie Amershek officiating. Interment will follow in Graysville Cemetery. Immediately after internment, a reception for family and friends will be held at Fairbrook Park in Ferguson Township.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Holden Arboretum, 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland, OH 44094 or The Arboretum at Penn State, 336 Resources Bldg., University Park, PA 16802.
A guest book can be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com.