An Amazing Woman and Dear Friend
September 8, 2018
by Cathy Naabe
Margaret was former District 47 Governor and Region 8 International Director for Toastmasters International. Margaret was an amazing leader and dear friend. I had the good fortune of being her secretary (administration manager) from 2003 - 2004 when she was District Governor. Under Margaret's leadership we finished #6 in the WORLD. That was the year TI went digital so all the old systems were broken. We were flying blind and still finished #6 in the WORLD. She motivated and inspired her team while creating 12 new clubs. She called them her babies. Margaret was the ultimate energizer bunny.
While serving as International Director, Margaret earned her PHD from USF in occupational health and safety. After her term in Toastmasters she started a non-profit "Better Trainers" to fill a gap in the Toastmasters training. She had a passion for training and educating and she knew being an effective trainer required different skills then public speaking. "Better Trainers" met monthly enabling members to practice training techniques. Her target audience were people tasked to train without formal education in training. She wrote a book "The Incidental Trainer" full of helpful tools for non professional trainers.
Her most recent years were spent working as a college professor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. When she wasn't working, traveling to NY for treatments or visiting Florida for "Better Trainers" she was traveling the world ticking off items on her bucket list. She had a LONG list. She was in Greece a few weeks before her passing. Margaret had a reputation of hardly sleeping. You could find her online all hours of the day and night. It was hard to keep her still. She made the most of her final years and passed with grace and dignity.
Margaret will be forever missed by her friends, family and colleagues in Toastmasters. She gave so much to our organization. I personally miss her dearly.