- March 28, 2024
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Margaret Calhoun Vandergrift died peacefully surrounded by her children at 2:36 p.m. Friday, June 5, 2015 at the Health Central Park end-of-life care facility in Winter Garden, Florida. She was 87.
Margaret was born Margaret Louise Calhoun Aug. 28, 1927, on the family farm outside Gadsden, Alabama, to Lester and Ruth Calhoun.
She was the third of five children: Woody, Ted, Margaret, Martha and Bill.
Margaret began her education at the John Jones School in Gadsden and was a graduate of Etowah County High School in 1945. However, in 1944, the family moved to Ocoee where, as a junior, she attended Ocoee High School. It was there that she met Donald Vandergrift. The two were married on Dec. 29, 1946, in Gadsden, Alabama, following Donald’s discharge from the U.S. Navy.
Donald and Margaret moved to Gainesville, Florida, where Donald attended the University of Florida. Margaret worked as an administrative assistant in the College of Agriculture. While in Gainesville, Don Jr. (Donnie) was born in 1949, followed by Janice in 1950.
After graduation, Donald joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Soil Conservation Service, and the couple eventually returned to reside in Ocoee. There, Steve was born in 1953, Peggy in 1954, and Paul in 1958. While raising a family, Margaret also volunteered as a “Gray Lady” (school nurse) at Ocoee Elementary School. The Family attended Ocoee Christian Church.
In 1960, the Vandergrifts moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, for Donald to set up a soil conservation district in Lee County. Margaret continued to raise the family and worked selling real estate in the newly developing community of Tropic Isles. Margaret and Donald and family were charter members of the newly formed First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fort Myers.
In 1965, the family relocated to Palm Beach County, Florida, where, again, Donald was called to organize a conservation district that included Palm Beach and Broward counties. As mother and wife, Margaret continued to raise the five children in their home in Lantana. In 1970, Margaret and Donald became grandparents for the first time, welcoming grandson Ron after the marriage of daughter Janice to Michael Saxton.
In the mid-1970s, Margaret became active in the Palm Beach Democratic Party and helped to elect Jimmy Carter as the 39th president in 1976. For her service, Carter invited her to the White House.
Margaret continued to volunteer in her church and community over the years and helped to raise her 10 grandchildren. In 2001, following the death of her husband, Donald, Margaret returned to Ocoee, where she resided with daughter, Peggy, and her children, Megan and Matt. She continued to be active in church and community.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Donald (2001); parents, Lester Madison Calhoun (1980) and Alma Ruth Downs Calhoun (1984); brothers, Robert Woodrow Calhoun (2001) and James Ted Calhoun (2013); and sister, Martha Ruth Calhoun Peacock (2012).
She is survived by her brother, William Lester (Bill) Calhoun (Hazel Scroggins), of Ocoee; and her five children; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and brothers-in-law, George Henry (Frog) Vandergrift and Mayor Sam Scott Vandergrift of Ocoee; along with many nieces and nephews.
Margaret’s children are Donald Edward Vandergrift Jr. (Judith Hobbs), of Panama City, Florida; Janice Ruth Saxton (Charles Michael Saxton), of Boynton Beach, Florida; Stephen Calhoun Vandergrift (Jean Halligan), of Boston, Massachusetts; Margaret Susan (Peggy) Vandergrift, of Ocoee; and Paul Joseph Van der Grift (Joan Rosengarten), of Palm Beach. Grandchildren are Ron Saxton (Carol), of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Kerrie Saxton Fusco (Rick), of Loxahatchee, Florida; Josh Vandergrift, of Panama City, Florida; Kyle Vandergrift (Jazley Fleming), of Panama City, Florida; Nathan Vandergrift (Alena Harrison), of Boston, Massachusetts; Megan Floegel (Chris Floegel), of Orlando, Florida; Matt Vandergrift-Jones, of Ocoee; Fritz Van der Grift (Judy Haigh) and Mimi Van der Grift, of Palm Beach, Florida; and Alexis Byrne, of Los Angeles, California.
Great-grandchildren are Robert and Kyla Carter (born to Kerrie and Robert Carter), Sam and Sydney Saxton (born to Ron and Carol), Riley and Laney Vandergrift (born to Kyle and Jazley), and Maggie Floegel (born to Megan and Chris).
The funeral took place on Tuesday, June 9, at Ocoee Christian Church (funeral services provided by Collison Carey Hand of Winter Garden). Burial followed at Ocoee Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please honor Margaret with donations to Ocoee Christian Church.