Margaret was the daughter of Bennett W. and Mary (Sharkey) Roche and wife of the late Stephen Michaels. A longtime Danbury resident, she graduated from Danbury High School and St. Vincent’s College of Nursing. Margaret was employed by the Danbury school system as a nurse for 30 years, working in several schools, with her favorite being Morris St. School.
After her retirement from the school system in 1996, she continued to work at her leisure doing private duty nursing, traveling, taking classes and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a parishioner of St. Peter’s Church and a Eucharistic minister for both the church and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport. She was a very active member in both her church and community, where she was instrumental in starting the Dorothy Day Hospitality House in 1981, and she continued to volunteer there for many years.
Margaret had a wonderful group of friends in the Danbury/Bethel area as well as the ones she enjoyed spending time with from her weekly prayer group that met in Fairfield. She will be remembered fondly for her generosity, compassion and unwavering faith. Margaret will be dearly missed by her daughters, grandchildren and many others.
Margaret is survived by her daughters: Sheila Levine (Jonathan) of Danbury and Maureen Redmond (Kevin) of Ridgefield. Her grandchildren: Chelsea and Alex Levine, Bridget, Helen and Jane Redmond, and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her siblings Bennett Roche, John Roche, Anna Clohessy, Alice Clark, Winifred Najjar and Christine Roche.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 10:30 am at St. Peter’s Church, Main St. Danbury. Interment will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery.
There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Margaret’s name to the Dorothy Day Hospitality House, PO Box 922, Danbury, CT 06813.
