MILTON - Margaret A. Lowther Smitley Burdick, age 88, of Milton, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004 at Cedar Crest in Janesville. Margaret was born on April 28, 1915 in Milton to S. Norton and Lola Grace (Rood) Lowther. She graduated from Milton High School and Salem College. Margaret was a teacher before marrying her first husband, Chester J. Smitley, in 1942. He passed away in 1948. She worked for Milton College and then the Milton School System for many years. In 1968 she married Roger M. Burdick; he passed away in 1991. Margaret belonged to the Milton Seventh Day Baptist Church and the Women's Circle. She was also a member of the Milton Historical Society.
Margaret is survived by her 3 daughters: Carolyn (Charlie) Brown of Milton, Mary Ellen (Richard) Steinke of Brodhead and Ginny (Tom) Otto of Stevens Point; stepchildren, Lynn Kalinowski of Lincoln, CA and Malcolm (Kathy) Burdick of Cedar Hill, TX; grandchildren: Mark (Jenny Stewart) Brown of Janesville, Jennifer (Scott) McMahon of Gillett, WI, Heather Brown of Madison, Christopher (Anya) Otto of Janesville, Heidi (Sam) Simkowski of Stevens Point, TJ Otto of Milton, Cindy (Kevin) DeWitt of Bothell, WA, Wendy Otto of Renton, WA, John Kalinowski of Fortuna, CA, Karolyn Kalinowski of Walnut Creek, CA, Alex Irwin, Caroline Burdick and Jarus Burdick, all of Cedar Hill, TX; 16 great-grandchildren; her sister, Virginia Clocker of St. Paul, MN; her brother-in-law, Robert Durkee of Ontario, CA; 2 nieces; and several sisters and brothers-in-law from her marriage to Chester. She was preceded in death by a great-grandson; and her sister, Elizabeth Durkee.
Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 at the Milton Seventh Day Baptist Church, with visitation from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Milton Cemetery. Albrecht Funeral Home of Milton assisted the family.
