Margaret E. Tuttle died Sunday, January 29, 2012 at the Washington County Hospital after a short illness.

Celebration of life services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, February 3, 2012 at the United Presbyterian Church with Rev. Bob Wollenberg officiating. Visitation will begin at noon, Thursday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 Thursday evening. Interment will take place at Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Memorials have been established to the Central Park Community Center, the United Presbyterian Church, or the United Presbyterian Home. Online condolences may be sent for Margaret's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com

Margaret Elizabeth Stewart was born on July 2, 1915 at the Washington County Hospital to Everett Lloyd Stewart and Jessie May White. She attended Living Lake rural school and graduated from Washington High School in 1933. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University in 1937 followed by two years of teaching Home Economics in Tarkio, Missouri. Because of her long-time interest in 4-H, she accepted a job with the Iowa State Extension Service, serving for three years in Chickasaw and Howard Counties. This was followed by ten years of service at Cedar Rapids in Linn County. In 1949, she received special state and national recognition for outstanding service in agriculture and home economics extension work.

Margaret was united in marriage to Truman Edwin Tuttle on April 28, 1951 and joined her mother on the Stewart family farm to continue the turkey operation after the death of her father, Everett. Three children became a part of a happy family: James Robert on April 11, 1952, William Lloyd on January 3, 1954, and Kathryn Ann on December 29, 1955.

Because of Margaret's interest in good education, she served as chairman on the committee for the re-organization and formation of the Washington Community School District in 1958. This was followed by serving a term on the school board, and later as president of the Stewart PTA.

The United Presbyterian Church of Washington has always played an important part in Margaret's life. After the children were in school, she accepted a position at her church as Christian Education Director. Later she was one of the first women elected to the Session and served as Clerk for many years. She served on the Steering Committee when the Marion Avenue and First Presbyterian churches united. Other activities have included circle leader, member of the endowment, membership, worship, and sacrament committees, and a Stephens minister.

Following her employment at the church, Margaret worked as an abstractor at the Livingston, Day, Meeker, and Bates law office. She later served as director of Food Service at the United Presbyterian Home. In 1973, due to the emphasis on programs for senior citizens, Margaret was hired by the Heritage Agency on Aging to serve Washington County as Senior Citizen Coordinator. In a few years, transportation became a part of this program, and Margaret also became the coordinator of the Mini Bus service. She retired in 1988.

After her retirement, Margaret and her husband, Tut, had more time to enjoy children, grandchildren, visits to sisters in California and Omaha, and some winters in Texas. After her husband's death in 1996, Margaret moved to the United Presbyterian Home; however, she continued her interest in the farm, representing her sisters as manager, until 2002 when the farmhouse and land were sold.

Involvement in community groups had always been a large part of Margaret's activities. In the Fortnightly Club, Margaret served as leader of the American Home Department. At the Washington Community Y, she served on the board and on the endowment committee. She participated in volunteer work for the Heritage Agency on Aging, including serving as County Task Force Chairman, member of the Heritage Advisory Council, Planning Committee, Program Committee, Budget Committee, and as a delegate to the Older Iowans Legislature. She served on the Washington County Mini Bus board, and served as the Vice President of the Coalition for Senior and Community Services, which later purchased and operated the Central Park Community Center.

Margaret was a member of the Washington Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and served two different terms as Chapter Regent and on numerous committees. Her interest in her family's heritage was also indicted by her active membership in the Martha Washington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists (DAC). Margaret was a member of the Fleur de Lis Club, a friendly neighborhood organization. Margaret received the Iowa State College Golden Service Diploma in 1987 in recognition of her community service, the Washington County Outstanding Senior Citizen Award by the Heritage Agency on Aging in 1989, and the Washington County Outstanding Volunteer by the Heritage Agency on Aging in 1995.

Margaret is survived by son James Tuttle and wife Deborah of Longmont, Colorado; son William Tuttle of Washington, Iowa; daughter Kathy Melton and husband Steve of St. Peters, Missouri; sisters Kathryn Williams and Helen Monnier of Oxnard, California; grandchildren Eli and Greg Tuttle, Michelle Melton, and Megan Watson; and great-grandchildren Sydney and Henry Ross.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Truman in 1996, sister Frances Scott, and grandson James Melton.