Margaret M. Boettger
Private ceremonies have been held for Margaret Metz Boettger, 79, of Lehigh Acres, who died on Jan. 29, 2009, in Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center. Born Aug. 15, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pa., she was the daughter of Gertrude May Allison and David Albert Lippy. She was preceded in death by her first-born, Thomas Alan, in infancy.
Surviving are her husband, Ralph Edward Boettger; children, Jamie (Clifford) Cole of Aiken, S.C.; Ralph Davidson (Lynn) Boettger of Ithaca, N.Y.; Lisa Anne Culver of Scottsdale, Ariz.; grandchildren Allison Elizabeth Boettger, Scott Benjamin Boettger, Clifford Marshall Cole, Garrett Marshall Cole, Kenneth Edward Culver, and Melissa Margaret Culver.
Having recently celebrated 61 years of marriage, she was wed before her 18th birthday in Medford, N.J. Her life included living on a ship for a number of months when her husband was Port Engineer for Trailerships Inc.; 35 years in Levittown, N.Y., and 25 years in Woodcrest Village, Lehigh Acres.
In Levittown she was youth director and directed many variety shows at the Levittown Community Church. Also in Levittown she was president of the PTA, a water safety instructor and a synchronized swimming instructor. In the New York area she served on the original committee to establish synchronized swimming in the Olympics.
Boettger was an accomplished artist and ceramist. For many years she taught art and ceramics at her store, Kiln Korner, Ceramic Studio in East Meadow, N.Y. For a time she was a traveling teacher for art paint manufacturers, and traveled the U.S. and Canada, demonstrating their products.
In Lehigh Acres, she was president of the now defunct Friendship Forum, and produced or directed many plays and productions. Later, over a 15-year period, she narrated many productions of the Lehigh Acres Concert Association, most memorably the Patriotic Concert on Veterans Day of 2001 (just after 9/11), which included selections by the Lehigh Acres Concert Community Chorus, Lehigh Acres Concert Bank, soloists, and her original narration.
She opened her home to her sister for many years, and to her father and cared for him in his last years.
Later this year, her ashes will be spread over the Gulf of Mexico. The National Cremation Society of Fort Myers handled arrangements.