Margaret E. M. Hale

Margaret Eileen Mary Edgelow Hale, 92, of Peterborough, NH, passed away on Monday, September 16, 2024. She was in the loving and thoughtful care of hospice and the nursing staff at RiverMead in Peterborough when she passed quietly.

Margaret, known as Marge, was born in Springfield, MA, on February 20, 1930, the youngest of four daughters of Dr. Arthur F.G. Edgelow and Cybel K.S. Lighthall. She was raised in Springfield and attended MacDuffie School. Later, she furthered her education at Bishop Strachan School for Girls in Toronto, Ontario, and Pine Manor College in Wellesley, MA.

In 1953, she married Gordon Hale, and together they lived in Philadelphia, PA, Georgia, and Marblehead, MA, where they had three children. In 1959, Marge and Gordon moved to Peterborough, NH, where they would raise their family and become deeply rooted in “Our Town.”

Marge was an integral part of the Peterborough community for nearly 65 years. She was a passionate advocate for civic engagement, channeling her energy into supporting voter education through the League of Women Voters. Her dedication to helping others extended to her work helping start the Monadnock Community Day Care Center, which played a significant role in nurturing local families. In the later years of her volunteer work, Marge devoted her time to the Kyes-Sage House and the Friends of the Library Bookshop, where her generosity and dedication continued to leave a lasting impact.

A talented cook and a gracious hostess, Marge loved entertaining friends and family, frequently gathering people together over memorable meals. She pursued her passion for food and entertainment by writing a cookbook with her dear friend, Ann Berg, called Dinner Before Eight, in which they shared their favorite recipes.

She managed the shop at the Sharon Art Center, where her love of art and culture shone through, and later owned Savoir Faire, a local fine craft and gifts shop, maintaining relationships with beloved artisans who had moved out of the state but still wanted a presence in New Hampshire.

Marge also had a deep connection to nature, in particular birdwatching. Letters to her children were full of mentions of sightings of bluebirds coming to the bird houses in the meadow, wild turkeys on the deck, and hearing the first peepers of the season. Her dogs were an important part of her family life as well - Silly (“Who is Sylvia? What is she?” Shakespeare), Miss Pickle (Heinz 57 variety), Peggotty (who bit too many), and finally, the beautiful Desty, with a squirrel-tail plume and a heart of gold. 

Marge was beloved for her sense of whimsy and wry perspective of the world. Either from rescuing and rehabilitating a puppet from the Marionette Theater fire (prior to the Mariposa Museum), creating detailed dioramas for friends and relations, or penning a funny poem for a friend’s birthday. Creativity was in every part of her life. 

She is survived by her son, Christopher Hale, his wife Julie McCullough Hale, and their son Danny Hale, all in Seattle; her daughter, Leslie Hale, also of Washington state; and her son Matthew Hale, his wife Sarah Hale of Hancock, NH, and their two children, Alice Hale of New York, NY, and Owen Hale of Nelson, NH. The family sees this passing as a blessing, relief, and a release for Marge, after years with dementia.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Kyes-Sage House, Friends of the Peterborough Library, in Marge's memory. (14 Concord Street Peterborough, NH 03458. FriendsofPeterboroughLibrary@gmail.com).

There will be no calling hours.

A private graveside service will be held at Pine Hill Cemetery in Peterborough at a later date. Information for burial will be announced here when finalized.