Margaret Smith Stephens

Margy Stephens passed away on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020, at Dell-Seton Hospital in Austin, Texas. She was born in El Reno, Oklahoma, the fourth child of James Ellis and Peggy Walsh Smith. Margy was known for her unwavering generosity, fierce independence, and astute design sense—as well as for throwing the best Valentine’s Day party in town during the 1980s.

Margy was graduated from the American University in Washington, DC with a BA in Art and Interior Design. She was married to Don Stephens from 1966 to 1975. They arrived in Austin, the city she dearly loved, in 1971. Margy practiced interior design with Arthur Watson, Ann Weber, and Roy Beal, before establishing her own firm in 1978, Margaret Stephens Interior Design, to serve clients on residential and commercial projects.

Margy lectured at the University of Texas at Austin in the Interior Design Program. Her involvement enriched a broad range of civic and cultural organizations, including the American Society of Interior Design, the Heritage Society of Austin (now Preservation Austin), the Austin History Center, and the Settlement Home Garage Sale. Through these, Margy forged many significant and enduring friendships.

Margy adored her family and especially loved the adventure of road trips with her brother Jim to visit her nieces and nephews—Jason Higdon, Anne Higdon, Amy Heiden, Laurie Zapalac, Christopher Smith, James Smith, Jeremy Smith, Patrick Smith, and Leah Barbee—and her eighteen adoring great nieces and great nephews in Missouri, Virginia, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, New York, Kansas, North Carolina and Texas. Some of her happiest years were during the time spent with her partner Wayland Rivers in Austin and in Llano.

In addition to her parents, Margy was preceded in death by her brother David Smith, her brother-in-law, Gary Higdon, and her sisters-in-law Marilyn Smith and Cheryl Smith. She is survived by her sister Susan Downes and husband, Joe, of Ponte Vedra, FL; her sister Mary Zapalac and husband, Robert, of Alexandria, VA; her brother James Smith and wife, Mary Lou, of Austin, TX; and her brother Jack Smith of Richardson, TX.

The family thanks the Dell-Seton staff for its excellent care.

A celebration of Margy's life will be held in El Reno, Oklahoma, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Austin History Center.