Margaret Murray Cummings died peacefully in Concord, NH, on September 13th, 2019. She was born Feb 22, 1928 in New York City to Elizabeth Hay Murray and Thomas Daniel Murray of Scotland, who were traveling through eastern Canada and the U.S. and had planned to return home, but after Thomas’ death in 1930, the family remained in Manhattan.

 

After high school, Margaret worked for several advertising agencies, including J. Walter Thompson and BBD&O, while satisfying a desire to travel. She went to Europe for the Coronation in 1953 and to San Francisco for a year. In her mid-twenties, she married Ted Smith, a painter and ad executive, but was widowed two years later. 

 

In her early thirties, she married William Barton Cummings, moved to Bronxville and later to Golden’s Bridge and Waccabuc in Westchester county, where they raised their children Robert Barton Cummings and Allison Murray Cummings. At retirement, they moved to Bradford, VT and a decade later, to Tryon NC.  Shortly after Bart’s death in 2008, Margaret moved to Middletown, RI and spent her last year at the Birches in New Hampshire, near her daughter.

 

Through all these moves and travels, Margaret loved to socialize with friends, garden, golf, swim and be outside in the sun, read good books, paint and draw, visit museums, decorate the house, and generally enjoy life. She lived with dementia in her last few years, but she retained her sunny temperament, her appreciation of beauty, and her love of dogs. She was much loved by all who knew her.  

 

Margaret was pre-deceased by her siblings, John, Thomas, and Elizabeth Murray Insardi. She is survived by her sister, Florence Murray Halpert, her son Robert and his wife, Suzie, her daughter Allison Cummings and her husband, Peter Davies, and grandchildren Audrey and Gavin Davies.