Margaret Trowbridge Wilson, Lived Life a Full 100 Years

Margaret Edith Trowbridge Wilson passed away peacefully at her home in Santa Monica on February 23 at the age of 100.

Margaret, a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica, lived at home until her passing with family and friends nearby.

Born May 29, 1912 in Bishop, California, on a large ranch, Margaret rode horseback to school and had many playmates and classmates belonging to the Bishop Paiute tribe. When she was two, her brother, Shuman Asa, was born. After the family moved to Pasadena, another brother, John Beall, was welcomed into the world.

Margaret attended Pasadena High School, Pasadena City College and then Huntington Memorial Hospital, where she trained to become a registered nurse. She met Dwight Brewer Wilson while working as an R.N. at the hospital and he was visiting a friend.  They were married on June 20, 1935 and enjoyed 53 wonderful years together until Dwight’s passing in 1988.

In 1940, Dwight and Margaret moved to Santa Monica, where they raised two daughters and began the city’s very first ambulance service, California Ambulance Service (which later became California Sick Room Supplies). After 40 successful years, Dwight and Margaret retired to spend time with family, travel and tend to their orchids.

Margaret was actively involved in many clubs and organizations, including P.E.O., (serving for two years as president), several committees at the Methodist Church, Santa Monica Rotary Club Rotary Ann, Santa Monica Breakfast Club, Santa Monica Hospital Auxiliary and Les Marraines. Through the Rotary Club, Margaret also welcomed several foreign exchange students into their home over the years.

An avid walker, Margaret enjoyed time spent along Palisades Park overlooking the ocean. She loved gardening, flower arranging and her beloved orchids and was a member of the Malibu Orchid Society. She also enjoyed playing bridge with friends, needlepoint, making Japanese dolls and rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers.

To all who knew her, Margaret will be remembered for her incredible ability to make every person she came into contact with feel like the most important person in the world, no matter if it was a great-grandchild taking his first steps or a dear friend stopping by for a chat. She welcomed everyone in the same manner her entire life and this authentic nature was present until her last day on Earth.

Margaret is survived by her daughters, Janice Margaret Wilson Shaver of Santa Monica and Judith Trowbridge Wilson McConnell of Rancho Bernardo; seven grandchildren, Jennifer, Jeff, Janine, Joel, Tanya, Shannon and Allison; and eight great-grandchildren, Christopher, Gregory, Melanie, Dylan, Brennan, Quinn, Kira and Leo.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1008 11th Street, Santa Monica.

Donations may be made in Margaret’s memory to First United Methodist Church for a project in her name or to the PEO Foundation, c/o treasurer Berneice Southcott, 575 E. Channel Rd., Santa Monica, CA 90402.