She was born on June 18, 1918, the daughter of the late William Bachman and Anna Catron Simpson,
and reared on the ancestral family farm at Tusculum in Greene County, Tennessee.
Margaret received her education from Tusculum College and the University of Tennessee. She held a
deep appreciation of the Tusculum Community and College. She was a member of Tusculum College Alumni Board.
She retired after 31 years of service as a teacher and serving two terms at the State level on the Board of Tennessee Classroom Teachers. After retirement she continued to be active in the Retired Teachers Association as long as her health permitted.
Mrs. Gaut was a member of the Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church where she served on several committees including the worship committee. She was instrumental in forming the Heritage Ministry, and for over 35 years she adorned the altars with her home grown flowers.
She was a typical homemaker with a special interest in nature. She was a member of the Tusculum Garden Club, Tennessee Ornithological Society, East Tennessee Orchid and Daylily Societies and the International Rose Foundation. She enjoyed everything that had roots with a special fondness of Orchids. Bird watching and traveling, both domestic and international, was a favorite interest and its treasures were captured by photography.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband William King Gaut, Sr.; daughter Elizabeth Ann Gaut; her sister and brother-in-law, Zuelma and Walter Goodall.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law: William King Gaut, Jr. and Ann Babb Gaut, of Greeneville; two grandchildren: William King Gaut III of Deerfield Beach, Florida and Alison Gaut Blackwelder and husband, Andy, of Greeneville; three nieces: Barbara Bellione and husband Tony of Sanford, Florida, Mary Beard and husband, Ritchie, of Lebanon, Tennessee, Martha Norman and husband, Ronald, of Sugarland, Texas; two nephews: Jack Gaut, Jr. and wife, Becki, of Bulls Gap and Bob Gaut of Knoxville, Tennessee; several great nieces and great nephews; and a special friend and caretaker of the family farm, Gene Hankins. She was also endeared to have so many special friends that touched her life and allowed her to touch theirs.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 pm Monday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home and from 1:30-3 pm Tuesday at Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The funeral service will follow visitation at 3 pm at the church. Interment will follow at Shiloh Cemetery in Tusculum. Rev. Jamie Lively and Rev. Abby Cole Keller will officiate. Pallbearers will be Bill Gott, Ken Southerland, Jack Reed, Tom Hjertquist, Alan Corley and Tony Williams.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts are requested to be sent to the Greenville C.P. Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN 37745 to the Heritage Ministry Fund, or to Tusculum University, 60 Shiloh Road, Tusculum, TN 37745 to the Campus Chapel Fund.
