Margaret Gilstrap Blewett passed away peacefully at the age of 92 Jan. 9 in her Albuquerque home surrounded by family.
Margaret was born Sept. 7, 1932, to Frederic and Adaline Gilstrap in Denver Colorado. The family moved to Albuquerque in 1934 where they resided for many years in "El Adobe de los Arboles" on the northeast corner of Rio Grande Blvd. and Indian School Road.
Margaret graduated from Albuquerque High School in1950 and went to Vassar College where she graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education in 1954. Her love for travel and adventure landed her on a steam ship to Australia where she taught for a year in Melbourne. She then took a boat up the Suez Canal to meet her mother and sister for a tour of Europe. She returned to Albuquerque where she taught first grade at Bandelier elementary school.
She met her future husband, Patrick Blewett, at a tennis match and the two were married in Albuquerque in1958 where their first two children were born. They moved to Los Alamos in 1960 when Pat accepted a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Their other four children were born in Los Alamos. They remained there until 2018 when they returned to Albuquerque. Margaret worked as a teacher at Little Forest Playschool from 1977 until her retirement in 1999. Margaret had a great love for young children; her own, and others. Her impact on the kids of the "Lower 36th St. Gang" as well as those she taught at Little Forest Playschool was enormous. She loved to dance and performed with the Kolomeykas Folk Dance group for many years. She also had a deep love for New Mexico and the canyons of Southeast Utah and she never turned down the opportunity to go hiking, camping, or river rafting. Like her father before her, she had a deep interest in geology, which lasted her entire life.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Patrick, Sisters Barbara (Ryan) and Susan, niece Ann Ryan and granddaughter Piper Renee. She is survived by her six children, John, Christopher, Sarah, Barbara, Peter, and Kathleen (Kate), her brother William G. Gilstrap,14 grandchildren, two great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of her life will take place at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Guaje Pines Cemetery followed by reception at Fuller Lodge. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Save the Children and the Pajarito Environmental Education Center.