Margaret Anne Lessor

Margaret Anne Lessor was born in Salem, MA in 1941. She attended St. John’s High School in Peabody, MA. In 1960, she married Edward Lessor and had the first of five children in 1961. She nurtured her family through domestic and overseas Air Force deployments in Maine, Texas, England, Turkey and Italy, inspiring a love for travel and culture in her children. She led girl scout troops, cub scout packs, and survived a 6.4 earthquake in Izmir, Turkey. She dreamed of special family trips and realized that dream when she gathered with her children and grandchildren for a bucket list trip to Disney World.

For more than thirty years, Margaret was a committed member of the nursing profession, moving from nurse’s aide at J.B. Hunt Hospital in Peabody, MA to licensed vocational nurse in San Antonio, TX. During the last ten years of her career, she served as a devoted advocate for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. In retirement, she opened her home and heart to dozens of foster children and found particular joy in helping infants and toddlers grow. She stayed in touch with many of the children for years, a sign of her commitment to caring for others. Despite having no sense of direction, she also made her way to volunteer at Meals on Wheels, rocked babies at a hospital, and knit holiday stockings for patients.

She will be remembered for her enthusiasm for holiday traditions, decorating birthday cakes, always having a dog at her feet, and sharp wit. She loved crocheting angel tree toppers for family members, playing pinochle, making trifle, and had a great fondness for ribbon candy. After settling in San Antonio in 1990, she and Ed (Gaga and Papa) created a home where her grandchildren often gathered for “you are the cook” steak dinners and swimming—and to sneak candy from her “secret” stash. She learned to swim in 1997 to be able to enjoy the pool with her grandchildren. She and Ed enjoyed short vacations around Texas and traveling east to visit with family.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Annie and Joseph Sullivan, sisters Mary Riddell, Bernie Daley, Betty Davidson, Rose Vorderis, Susan Ballou, and brothers, Joe Sullivan, George Sullivan, Richard Sullivan, Charles Sullivan, and William Sullivan. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Edward Lessor, brother John Sullivan, and her five children Teresa Kautz, Elizabeth Pulliam, Julie McDaid (Ray McDaid), Edward Lessor (Tobi Jacobi), and Paul Lessor as well as fifteen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the charity of your choice.