Whitaker, Margaret

WHITAKER (RODGERS), Margaret Anne

Margaret Anne Rodgers Whitaker, age 89, died Wednesday, May 25, 2022 after a short illness. She was born January 23, 1933 in Cordele, GA, the only child of World War II veteran Manson Baxter Rodgers and Kathleen Margueritte Strickland Rodgers. Named for her maternal grandmother Margaret Smith Strickland, young Margaret Anne (to her family) ...aka "Peg" (to her friends and peers)... spent her early childhood in Cordele, GA. However, most of her formative years were spent growing up in McDonough, GA surrounded by the loving, loyal, and extended John Samuel Rodgers family of that town. She was particularly proud of two things: her red hair and her horse Tony. Education was always an important part of her life. Her family made sure Margaret Anne learned well. She was even taught in school by two of her aunts. She graduated from high school early, and at age 16 began her college studies at Wesleyan College in Macon, GA (Class of 1953) where she majored in Home Economics. She had a flair for drawing ...a talent she used to create and depict colorful women's fashions in her college scrapbooks. After college, she went on to earn a masters degree in education at Georgia State University as part of her professional development. During her college years, she joined a church trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia where she met her husband-to-be, Robert Harriss "Bob" Whitaker of Augusta, GA . He was a young pilot, owned his own a J-3 Piper Cub airplane, and was studying at Georgia Tech to become an aeronautical engineer. At the time, the Whitaker family was living on Jekyll Island because Bob's father (a hotelier) was managing the Jekyll Island hotel. At first, Peg was reluctant to encourage a relationship with Bob having mistaken his beautiful blonde sister Mary for Bob's "girlfriend" and thus sensing formidable competition. However, once she learned the truth, Peg was all in, and Peg and Bob soon became an item. Upon Bob's graduation from Georgia Tech in 1952, he and Peg were married. The same year, Bob received his officer's commission in the United States Air Force and served during the Korean War years. The couple was stationed principally at Warner Robbins Air Force Base (GA) and Eglin Air Force Base (FL). After discharge from the Air Force, Bob and Peg moved to the Sandy Springs community north of Atlanta where Bob began a lifelong career with nearby Lockheed-Georgia in Marietta. Meanwhile, Peg followed in her educator-aunts' footsteps and began teaching at Hammond Elementary School in Sandy Springs ... having gained her first classroom experience shortly before at Eglin AFB, FL. Though raised in small town Georgia in the 1930s-1940s, Peg appreciated the excitement and opportunities provided by life in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Yet, she could never bring herself to fly aboard a commercial airline flight ... even though she lived in a city destined to become a major airline hub and had married an aeronautical engineer whose specialty was airplane flight controls. In 1955 and 1957 respectively, a son (Bob Jr) and daughter (Kathy) were born, and Peg stopped teaching to focus on child rearing for a few years. Her parental style included being a gracious hostess to guests as well as maintaining a neat/clean home with always empty trash containers. She also made sure to take her children on weekly trips to the local Sandy Springs library along with occasional bus trips to Rich's department store in downtown Atlanta. Peg was a wonderful cook having excelled at the art of Southern comfort food using family recipes passed down to her and mastering too many dishes to name. Yet, she also prepared her share of popular fare of the day including tuna casseroles and TV dinners like any other young mother raising kids in the early 1960's. It had been evident early as a child that Peg was musically talented. She enjoyed opera, played piano, and sang in college and church choirs. As a small child, she had participated in a community talent contest (displaying her dancing skill) in the bandshell in Daytona Beach, FL ...a story she enjoyed telling. Thus, as a parent, she encouraged. musical talent in her children by teaching them hymns at home from the piano and providing music lessons. In addition, she sought to foster whatever other individual interests appealed to each of her children. Having both grown up as Christians and regular church attenders, Bob and Peg became charter members of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Sandy Springs where she taught children's Sunday School. Years later, they also became charter members at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in neighboring Cobb County. Once her children had progressed through elementary school, Peg resumed her education career in Fulton County...progressing steadily from substitute teacher... to full time teacher ... to assistant principal at Morgan Falls Elementary School... and thereafter to Principal at Woodland Elementary School, one of the larger such schools in Fulton County at the time. Yet, even as her career developed, she provided a warm home for her handicapped mother caring for her in her last years. Upon retirement, Peg and Bob moved to western Cobb County to be close to 5 grandkids whom they loved dearly. A devotee of French antiques, fine china/glassware, pretty furnishings, and colorfully stylish clothes, Peg's long-term hobbies included collecting antiques, and for a time, she ran a small booth at an antiques market in Marietta. She also became interested in learning her family's history involving frequent travel and correspondence for genealogical research. Upon Bob's death in 2015, the family could look back and celebrate their faithful 63 year marriage to one another. Margaret Anne Rodgers Whitaker is preceded in death by her husband and parents. She is survived by son Robert Harriss Whitaker, Jr. of Powder Springs, GA (wife Cynthia), and daughter Mary Kathleen Whitaker Jones of Paulding County (husband Gary). Surviving also are the following: grandchildren -- Erin Kate Whitaker, Sarah Caroline Whitaker Wishon (husband Jonathan), Marcus Alexander Whitaker (wife Hannah), Hannah Leigh Jones Fischer (husband Barrett), and Ian Whitaker Jones, great-granddaughters Aubrey Elizabeth Whitaker, Evelyn Lois Wishon, and Lily Rosaleigh Fischer, and great-grandson Mosley Micah Wishon, nieces -- Mary Elizabeth Bailey Hodges and son Tyler and Lydia Leigh Bailey Brown (husband Michael) with their son Cary and daughter Callie, nephew -- Barney B. Whitaker III (wife Fran) with son Daniel and daughter Mary Alston. Arrangements are being handled by Mayes-Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home of Powder Springs, GA. A family graveside ceremony and interment will be at the City Cemetery in Madison, GA at 11:00AM on Friday, May 27th, 2022.

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Funeral Home Information

Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home & Crematory

3940 Macland Rd

Powder Springs, GA