A devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend and advocate for the developmentally disabled, Margaret F. Guthrie, 91, died Saturday, April 24, 2010 at home surrounded by her family. She lived 15 years at Lake City's Remington Place Retirement Inn blossoming into an independent and enthusiastic resident, willing to try any new activity at least once. For decades Margaret volunteered for many organizations for the developmentally disabled. She continued to find opportunities to help after her move to the Northwest. She volunteered at Shorelines Adult Community Choices program. She said it helped fill "a hole in her heart" following the 1995 death of her 47-year-old son, John, who was mentally retarded. She also regularly volunteered at American Red Cross blood mobiles for 20 years in the Buffalo area and sponsored faraway children through Christian Children’s Fund for more than 35 years. In the Buffalo area in the late 1950s, Margaret and her husband, Dr. Robert Guthrie, were among the first parents to advocate for educational, employment training and independent living for the mentally retarded, resulting in many organizations still existing today. Margaret spent many volunteer hours at the ReTap Thrift Store, which served as a training program to Recruit, Evaluate, Train, Assess and Place individuals with developmental disabilities. The store funded the organization's efforts. Margaret was a frequent and much loved visitor to the Williamsville Mill Street Group Home where her son lived, and where she was routinely greeted with, "Mrs. Guthrie is here! Mrs. Guthrie is here!" Margaret's lasting legacies of empathy, service and compassion were lessons she taught quietly and without fanfare. Born in Minneapolis on July 12, 1918, Margaret Ann Flagstad was the oldest of four children of Nell and Carl Oscar Flagstad and sister to Virginia, (Sister) Carl Oscar Jr. (Sonny) and Mary Lou (Baby.) She shared bedrooms, clothes and double dates with Virginia and played the organ and piano with Mary Lou at Riverside Presbyterian Church. She loved music and continued playing the piano all her life even after a stroke left her with a trembling hand. On August 30, 1941, Margaret married Robert Guthrie. They met in organic chemistry class at the University of Minnesota because they were seated alphabetically. With her bachelor's degree in Medical Technology, Margaret supported her husband as he completed his medical degree. Bob's career in research took the growing family to many locations, including the University of Kansas, Staten Island, and ultimately, Buffalo, N.Y. In the early 1960s, Dr. Robert Guthrie developed a way to screen babies at birth for PKU, a condition that results in mental retardation if not immediately detected and treated. His technique is now known as newborn screening. Margaret was the silent and often unheralded partner to her husband’s lauded public health career which took him around the world. In 1968, Margaret somehow packed the family and its possessions into two VW vans as the Guthries moved to New Zealand, then camped their way across Europe. The international adventure was part of Bob Guthrie's mission to spread the knowledge of newborn screening. Margaret also willingly endured being First Mate on her husband’s many sailboats and rounding up the six kids and gear for annual summer camping trips to Minnesota. Although usually quiet, Margaret could also be feisty, very funny and, at times, downright giddy. On holidays and birthdays, family and friends looked forward to her cards and notes, which always arrived on time and with great thought. After her husband died in 1995, Margaret pursued her own adventures, including Elderhostels and an 80th birthday celebration in the barracks of coastal Washington's Fort Flagler State Park. As she approached her 90th year, Margaret treated her 14-member family to a two-week ferry ride on the Alaska Marine Highways Inside Passage. Thank you Mom! She remained curious, compassionate, full of questions and full of thanks. “No tears, I’ve had a long full life”, she wrote in a note about her memorial wishes. “Please celebrate my life and remember me. I loved you all.” She will be greatly missed today, Mother's Day, by her sons and daughters-in-law, Dr. Thomas and Mary Guthrie of Leavenworth, Wash.; Dr. James and Diane Guthrie of Lawrence, Kansas; and daughters and sons-in-law, Anne Guthrie and Richard Gaeta; Barbara Guthrie and Ken Romdall and Patricia Guthrie, all of Shoreline, Wash.; her grandchildren, Graeme, Galen, Gillian, Lisa, Jim, Dylan and Julia; her great-grandson, Gillis; her sisters, Mary Lou Doll of Minneapolis and Virginia Hoyt of St. Paul, many nieces and nephews, and her furry companion, Gracie. Former residents and staff of Remington Inn are invited to attend a celebration of Margaret’s life 4:30-6:00 p.m., Friday, May 7 at 3025 NE 137th St., Seattle. A memorial service will be held 3:00 p.m., Saturday, May 15 at Lake City Presbyterian Church, 3841 NE 123rd St., Seattle. Additionally, friends in Minneapolis and Buffalo are invited to receptions honoring Margaret Guthrie's life planned for the fall. More information will be provided on this site at a later time. She will be interred at Williamsville's North Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden near her husband and son, John. To honor Margaret’s life of service, the family requests donations in her name be contributed to one of her favorite causes. Click on the "donate" button (above) to view the charitable options.