Margaret Norton Birch

Margaret Norton Birch passed away happily on Saturday, February 28, 2015 after eating a hearty breakfast and looking forward to her “Bingo” game. She was born on May 20, 1923, the second of four children to Margaret Delores Johnson and Alma Samuel Norton in Sugar City, ID.

As a girl, Margaret was quiet and studious. She had beautiful handwriting and kept a detailed journal throughout her life. She learned to play the violin and was chosen as concertmistress for the “Messiah” for two years. She married her high school sweetheart, Reed Birch on July 3, 1941 in Logan, UT. She said that Reed taught her what she needed to know about everything from cooking to washing to printing. She worked alongside her husband in many of his jobs as a printer in St. Anthony, ID; Idaho Falls; Missoula, MT; Tacoma, WA; Salt Lake City, UT; and Yakima, WA. In Missoula, she also passed her union typographical qualification and set linotype.

Margaret loved being a wife and mother and worked hard to do everything she could for her family. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her later years, even though her great-grandchildren lived far away, she memorized their names and recited them in her head every night before going to sleep. She loved having phone conversations with her grandchildren and would repeat those conversations to her friends for several days afterwards. She even saved all her “Bingo” prizes to give them to her great-grandchildren.

Margaret had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and looked forward to being with her eternal family. She attended and served faithfully in church and instilled in her children the same devotion to the gospel. She enjoyed singing. She participated in the ward choir for as long as she could attend church and often sang gospel music at the nursing home.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Reed Birch; her three children, Michael Lance Birch, Gary Reed Birch and Susan Kaye Birch Cragun; her brothers, Goodrich Norton and William (Billy) Norton; and one great-grandson. She is survived by one sister, Cherol Norton Hill of ID; her daughter-in-law, Linda Buys Birch Jones; her son-in-law, Dan Cragun; and nine grandchildren: Sheldon (Melinda) Birch of Erda, UT; Cameron (Emily) Birch of Bothell, WA; Michael (Rosy) Cragun of S. Korea; Tiffany (Jon) Goff of Lafayette, CO; David (Jenni) Cragun of Eugene, OR; James (Kati) Cragun of Stony Brook, NY; Steven (Carly) Cragun of Oakridge, OR; Randy Cragun of Clemson, SC; and Brady (Laura) Cragun of Lehi, UT. She is also survived by 26 great-grandchildren.

Viewing will be held at 12:00, Friday, March 6 followed by services at 1 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 705 S. 38th Ave.

A special thanks to her nurses at Summitview Health Center for their kindness and care.

To share a memory of Margaret, visit www.keithandkeith.com.