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Note: As of May, 1995- Margaret was diagnosed as having Down's Syndrome early in her life, yet she brought a special something into the family that couldn't have come from anywhere or anyone else. When Margaret's parents, Howard and Jennie, moved to Jackson from Saginaw in 1949, they found that Jackson had no place willing to give Margaret, and children like her, an education of any type. Consequently, they helped to found Hope School for mentally retarded children. Howard was president of the Retarded Children's Society of Jackson Inc., creators and sponsors of the Hope School Project, from 1951 through 1957. During that time Jennie was also a very active participant in the drama that helped inform and open an entire community to the needs of the mentally handicapped. Many people from Jackson and surrounding communities got in on the action, providing skilled labor to help accomplish Hope School's construction and other needs. Margaret was institutionalized around 1964. She was first sent to the Fort Custer State Home at Battle Creek, Michigan. Several years later she was transferred to the Coldwater State Institution at Coldwater, Michigan. After a few years she was released to a halfway house on Carr Street in Jackson, where she and the family had better access to each other. Also living in that halfway house was Linda Janes, daughter of Marilee and Fay Janes. Margaret had been moved to still another halfway house by the time she was hospitalized for her final stages of Down's Syndrome. Margaret's standard order at any restaurant was "Hamburger, french fries, Coke." It never varied. She always carried a large stack of playing cards with her and would thumb through them whenever bored. She loved looking at pictures, especially those in magazines, and carried a Bible with her much of the time. Margaret was interred at Roseland Memorial Cemetery, Jackson, MI, with her Bible. ------------------ The following is Margaret's obituary, appearing in the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper: Margaret Ann Paige- Passed away at the Medical Care Facility Friday, June 15, 1984, aged 43. Surviving are her mother, Jennie B. Paige of Jackson; father and step-mother Reverend Howard and Marilee Paige of Pleasant Lake; two brothers, R.D. (Bud) Paige of Saginaw, Charles Paige of California; two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Charlene) Garrett of Port Austin and Mrs. Robert (Mary) West of Illinois; several nieces and nephews. She was one of the ten charter students of the former Hope School for Handicapped Children. Miss Paige is at the Chas. J. Burden and Son Funeral Home, 1806 E. Michigan Ave., where services will be held Monday, 11:00 a.m. Interment Roseland Cemetery. The Reverend Maurice Harlow officiating. The family will receive friends Sun., 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. -------------------- Following is a letter to Santa written by one of Margaret's sisters and distributed in December, 1984: Dear Santa, This Christmas letter is not to ask for anything for Christmas, it's to say "Thank You." A few years ago you came to Port Austin by helicopter and landed on the baseball-football field at Gallup Park. At the fence watching eagerly your arrival was a ninety-one-year-old man and a little retarded girl. When you descended from your copter, instead of walking over to the expectant crowd of parents and children, you took time to come first to the fence and shake hands with the little old man and greet the little retarded girl. As long as I live I shall never forget that moment and the happiness I saw on each of their faces as Santa came to see them. That was Clarence's last Christmas on Earth--Rev. Garrett's Mom's little boy friend. And the little girl? My sister Margaret Ann joined Clarence and is spending her first Christmas with the "Grown Up Christ Child" and Clarence. God Bless You, Santa! God Bless You. A Very Grateful, Charlene Garrett
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