Obituary of Richard Louis Margison

OBIT for Richard Louis Margison Richard L. Margison was born in Albany, N. Y. on July 2, 1914 to parents Louis and Carrie Margison. He received a B.S and M.S. Degree at the Albany State Teachers College and then taught Business Subjects in High Schools in Coeymans, Mohawk and Lake Mahopac New York from l936 to194l. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 194l and assigned to the 96th CAA Regiment anti-aircraft unit at Camp Davis, N.C. After Pearl Harbor attack he was alerted for overseas shipment. He married Margaret Kaemmerlen on Dec. 3l, l941 in Wilmington,North Carolina and was sent to the West Coast for shipment to Corregidor. Corregidor fell while his convoy was en route and the 96th CAA (AA) was diverted to Hawaii. He applied for OCS and came back to the States for Officer Training. After Graduation he was assigned to the 449th CAA (AAA) AW Mbl. and trained at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod. The 449th was sent to England in 1943 for further training before the invasion of Europein 1944. Took part in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge, the Rhineland and Central Europe until V-E day in June 1945. He separated from the service with the rank of Captain in December of 1945. After teaching at the Northampton, Mass. commercial college for two years he accepted the position of Business Officer at the Potsdam State Teachers College in 1948 and served there until 1959 when he accepted a similar position as Vice President at the State University College at Cortland. In addition to supervising the Business affairs of the college he coordinated the expansion of the college involving over $100,000,000 of construction work. He retired in 1978 except for a few years of part time teaching in the Economics Dept. at SUNY. A staunch supporter of community activities, he was a member and Pres. of the Chamber of Commerce, member and Chairman of the Planning Commission, Trustee of the Cortland YWCA, member of the board of the Murray Center, member of the Central New York Regional Planning Board, member and Treasurer of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Central New York, member and President of the Cortland Rotary Club, Trustee of the Cortland Savings Bank, and a Deacon, Trustee and Elder of the United Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, a daughter, Ellen Jennings of Baldwinsville, N. Y., a son Richard (Lynn) and a son-in-law, Thomas Cleveland. He was predeceased by a daughter, Nancy Cleveland and son-in-law Robert Jennings. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren: Christopher (Jennifer) and Scott Cleveland, Ramsey (Lauren) and Blake Margison, and Allison and Sarah Jennings and 6 great grandchildren: Bobby , Brendan , Emily and Abby Cleveland and Gracie Jane and Benjamin Margison). Those wishing to make a donation are requested to consider the stain glass window project at the United Presbyterian Church in Cortland, NY. Peg and the family would like to express their gratitude to the loving caregivers at McHarrie Pointe and McHarrie Place in Baldwinsville. The family will greet friends on Friday, April 24thfrom 1-2 pm at the United Presbyterian Church, Cortland with a celebration of life service to follow at 2pm. Burial will be at the Cortland Rural Cemetery * To offer condolences visit www.wrightbeard.com