On Aug. 1 Margaretta Wharton Hoadley passed away at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a bout with pneumonia. At 93, Margy had a long and rich life; she will be missed by all who knew her.
Margy was born in Philadelphia in 1925 and attended the Misses Wharton School and Agnes Irwin School. She went on to attend Smith College, where in 1946, she received her bachelor of arts degree with a French language major. In the same year, Margy married Franklin Rogers Hoadley, Jr., of Stonington. The couple initially lived in New Haven and Akron, Ohio, before moving in 1954 with their four children to Hamden.
In addition to raising a family, Margy was a teacher. She was the director of St. Thomas’s pre-school in New Haven; she taught at B’nai Jacob School in Woodbridge; and she taught at the Elizabeth Ives School for Autistic Children in New Haven. Margy was adventurous and enjoyed living abroad with Franklin for his work in the early 1970’s: they lived in Manchester, England, for two years and Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, for one year. In 1974 she and Franklin built a vacation home in Essex where they spent many summers appreciating the natural beauty of upstate New York, while socializing with family and friends at the Crater Club.
An avid gardener and enthusiastic dog owner, Margy enjoyed spending time outdoors, playing tennis, or walking her dog in the woods or at the beach. Shortly after becoming a widow, Margy moved to Evergreen Woods in North Branford, where she became an active member of the community, serving on several committees as well as the Residents Council.
Surviving Margaretta Wharton Hoadley are her sister and brother Bessie Beeler and Heyward Wharton of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania; and her four children Martha Clark (Jeff) of Branford, Roger Hoadley (Beth) of Lebanon, Katherine Cox (Jonathan) of Willow Wood, Ohio, and Liz Hoadley (Marsha Gale) of Berkeley, California. Also surviving are her six grandchildren Ben, Dan, Eva, Katie, Clay, and Oliver; and her four great-grandchildren, Tyler, Charles, Colin, and Jackson.
Margy actively supported Smith College throughout her adult life. Friends and family members may recall Margy’s enduring commitment to the Alumni Club’s annual holiday sale of pecans. Contributions in her memory can be made to Smith College Scholarship Fund (www.smith.edu). Contributions in Margy’s memory can also be made to Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford (www.trinitybranford.org), where she was a member of the parish.
A memorial service will be held on Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford. To sign the online guestbook, please visit hawleylincolnmemorial.com.
