Margaret Knox

Margaret passed peacefully at her home surrounded by family on January 20, 2022. She is survived by her two children Patricia K. Partridge and James C. Knox along with six nieces and nephews, eight grandchildren and 19 great grandkids.

Born October 13, 1924 in the house her father designed and built on Hemphill Street in Austin, Margaret was the youngest of three children born to architect Roy L. Thomas and his wife Ruth E. (Beaver) Thomas.

Margaret attended UT and was a huge fan and long time supporter of UT’s football team - “Hook’m Horns!” - declaring her blood to be burnt orange.

She married the love of her life James W. Knox on June 19th (Juneteenth)1944 only to see him whisked away into WWll as a navigator on a B-17 (Pistol Pack’n Mama) where after 10 1/2 missions he was shot down over Bulgaria and held as a prisoner of war for nine months before being freed and finally coming home.

Margaret was the anchor of our family. Being a military wife she was faced with moving her family from place to place every few years. Making each new location a home for us whether here in the U.S. or overseas. She loved experiencing new cultures, making new friends and learning new languages. She was the constant core of our family. Helping her children weather losing old friends, to be open to making new ones, navigating new schools and sometimes new languages and customs.

Margaret loved Nature and all its inhabitants. There were always dogs and cats in our lives as well as lizards, turtles, snakes, bugs, a flying squirrel, a ferret, a pigeon named Mutts, an alligator named Harvey, a raccoon named Loki, a Red Tailed Hawk called Lots (Lord Of The Skies), just to name a few.

Another passion of Margaret’s was fashion. She loved to sew and create. She had an outfit for every occasion and then some. I believe she would have been a fashion designer if that path had ever been opened to her.

She was a professional seamstress for many years helping to support her family and put her children through school.

When her husband retired from the Air Force in 1966 they moved back to Austin, which had been the hub of our family’s world, to live in the old family ranch house on what was left of the Running Rope Ranch.

Finding themselves in retirement with kids grown and flown Jim and Margaret began to explore new avenues. Ever the fisherman Jim had more time to enjoy boating and bass fishing. And Margaret took up what she loved - being a seamstress again. But Margaret became restless so took up dog training and began competitively showing her standard poodle Nanook. Shortly thereafter she and Jim partnered up with some friends and opened up the “ Gingham Dog & Calico Cat” grooming and boarding kennel.

Later bee keeping became a passion. Traveling all over the state selling the honey and bee’s wax products from their hives at fairs, festivals and from their home. And never taking an idle moment Margaret set out to educate children by writing and getting published an illustrated book “Betsey’s Bee Tree” all about the wonders of a bee’s life. She traveled to local schools giving talks and readings of her book. She also had a traveling observation hive encased between two panes of glass so everyone could observe the hidden world of a living hive - queen bee and all.

Then the travel bug bit. It was time to hit the road in a big bus-like RV known as the “Brownhound”. Getting out and seeing the country, visiting favorite places, parks, going to hot-air balloon festivals, seeing friends and family. Living the good life - on the road again. (Margaret loved Willie Nelson’s songs).

After her husband of 67 years passed away and her children grown with families of their own Margaret began searching for someone to nurture and became interested in Wildlife Rescue of Austin. She volunteered with them caring for a variety of injured and orphaned animals. Her specialty became caring for orphaned fawns and later baby squirrels. Anything Margaret took an interest in benefited from her loving care and attention.

On top of all this Margaret loved crossword puzzles, she was a wicked Bridge player and had a clever wit. She loved jokes. She loved hearing and telling them and sharing in the laughter.

Her passing is like the end of an era. She will be missed by all who knew her.