Margaret W Overton

23 September 1915 - 24 March 2006

Margaret Watkins Overton, a resident of Manhattan Beach for more than 50 years, passed away peacefully at home with her family nearby on March 24, 2006 at 90 years of age.

Margaret, the eldest of four siblings, was born September 23, 1915 in Petersburg, Virginia to Wilburn and Gertrude (Collett) Watkins. Her sister, Virginia Watkins Leyes, and her brothers Thomas and Wilburn preceded her in death. After graduating from high school, she made the decision to pursue a career in nursing and, in 1937, graduated from Rocky Mount Sanitarium as a registered nurse.

In 1943 she met and married her husband of 56 years, John (who preceded her in death. After the war she and her husband settled in Santa Ana, CA, where John and his father built their first home.

The family loved to take Sunday drives and explore Southern California. In 1952 they decided to try 'life at the beach' and subsequently moved to Hermosa Beach and a few years later to Manhattan Beach. The family quickly took to beach life.

After raising her daughters, Margaret returned to work in 1960. She pursued her nursing career throughout her life, first as an RN in various local hospitals and later as an industrial nurse at Chevron in El Segundo and later TRW in Redondo Beach. She retired from TRW in 1985. Even in retirement, though, she continued her nursing education attending medical seminars with friends well into her 80's.

In retirement she pursued her favorite past times - shopping and spending time with her grandchildren.

Margaret is survived by her three daughters, Pam Overton, Johnette Woods and Margaret (Darryl) Dickie, all of Manhattan Beach; her grandson, Ian Dickie of Arcata, CA; her granddaughter, Ananda (Ben) Morehead of Trinidad, CA, and three great grandchildren, Owen, Jayden, and Alyssa Morehead.

Margaret helped many people throughout her life - as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, nurse and friend. She is dearly missed by her family and friends, but they are comforted with the knowledge that she has left them with many, many happy memories.

She was a faithful, devoted parishioner of American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach where a memorial mass and celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 22nd at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of her favorite charities in her memory.

Little Company of Mary

Community Health Foundation

4101 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503

Casie Hyde Memorial Foundation

943 8th Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Trinity Care Hospice

2601 Airport Drive, #230 , Torrance, CA 90505