Margaret Jeanette (Biggs) Butterfield

Margaret Jeanette Biggs Butterfield went to be with her Lord on December 11, 2017, at the age of 97.  She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 25, 1920 to Walter and Agnes Biggs. She lived much of her early childhood in Minneapolis and spent summers on her grandfather’s farm in the country, where she attended East Union Evangelical Lutheran church. She moved to live on her grandfather’s farm when she was thirteen and attended Chaska High School, graduating in 1938. One of her happiest memories was being accepted to the University of Minnesota, where she studied English and French. As a child, Margaret dreamed of being a teacher and received her high school teaching credential shortly after graduation. She taught high school in northern Minnesota until the end of WW II, when she moved to Los Angeles. In 1948 she met her husband, Claude Butterfield, and they were married in February 1949.  Margaret and Claude lived in Los Angeles until 1950 when they purchased their first home in Panorama City. She had three children while in southern California, Charles, Richard and Cathy. The family attended the Panorama Presbyterian Church in Van Nuys where she taught Sunday school and was ordained as a deacon in 1952. Claude was an elder at the church and worked as an accountant for Lockheed in Burbank. The young family moved to northern California, after Lockheed opened their Sunnyvale facility in 1957.

 Claude passed away in 1962, and Margaret returned to school at San Jose State College to earn additional credits required for her California high school teaching credential. She returned to teaching high school in 1967 and enjoyed teaching English Literature, reading and writing skills and performing in school plays. Margaret retired from full time teaching in 1987 and later taught Adult Education for several years. Many of her adult students were immigrants who valued her help to improve their English reading and writing skills, enabling them to obtain their GED and improve their employment opportunities.

  One of her greatest joys was spending time with her three grandsons, Tim, Peter and Jonathan. She enjoyed their frequent visits in California and travelled to Idaho, visiting her grandsons during summer breaks and Christmas holidays.  After retiring, Margaret moved to Idaho to live closer to her grandsons. She enjoyed spending time with them and volunteered as an aid at their high school in Eagle. When Rich and Diane moved to Texas in 2001, she moved to be with them and returned to Idaho when Rich retired in 2016.  Margaret is survived by her sister Lorna, three children, Charles, Richard, and Cathy, a daughter-in-law, Diane, three grandsons, Tim, Peter and Jonathan, his wife, Alanna, and three great- grandsons, David, Jonathan and Daniel.

A Memorial Service to honor and celebrate her life will be held on Saturday,  January 13 at 2 PM at the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel, 415 12th Ave So., Nampa, Idaho – 208-442-8171.

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