Margaret Alice Lockridge

Margaret Alice Lockridge March 15, 1930 - November 11, 2022 Wenatchee, Washington Longtime Wenatchee resident Margaret Alice Lockridge, 92, passed away Friday November 11, 2022, at Blossom Valley assisted living facility after a short illness. Margaret Alice was born March 15, 1930, to Hugh and Clara (Fletcher) Lockridge in the Ravalli County Hospital in Hamilton, Montana, joining an older sister, Ruth Ann. Margaret was named for each of her grandmothers, Margaret (Payton) Fletcher and Alice (Kierns) Lockridge. They lived on the family farm in Corvallis, Montana until Margaret was four, then moved to Missoula, Montana where her father worked for the United States Forest Service as a civil engineer. In 1936, the family relocated to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho while Hugh continued his career surveying logging roads in the St. Regis, Montana area. Margaret attended school in Coeur d'Alene, graduating from high school in 1948. She attended Whitworth College 1948-1949, Eastern Washington College of Education 1949-1950, and then Washington State University, graduating in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Bacteriology and Public Health. After a 1-year internship at St. Luke's School of Medical Technology, Margaret began her decades-long career as a Medical Technologist, first working briefly at Vancouver Memorial Hospital in Vancouver, Washington, followed by Wallace Hospital and Clinic in Wallace, Idaho, where she once drew John F. Kennedy's blood. For the next 15 years, Margaret worked for Drs Stiles, Olson, Pearson, Johnson, and Greer at the 5th and Brown Doctor's Building and then at the Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Washington. In 1969, Margaret moved to Wenatchee to work at the Wenatchee Medical Center. After the Wenatchee Medical Center flunked a national inspection because procedures weren't documented, Margaret wrote the hematology procedures. Margaret's forms were published in the national magazine of medical technology by a doctor in California and continue to be the standard for blood work in laboratories across the country. After taking some time off to care for Clara, Margaret resumed her career with four years in Drs Bousman and Lynn's family practice and spent her final 14 years at the Eye and Ear clinic. Margaret retired in 1996. Margaret loved to travel-five times to Europe and twice to South Africa. Margaret was very knowledgeable in the handcrafts of knitting, tatting, crochet, Brazilian Embroidery, bargello needlepoint, smocking, bobbin lace, and scherenschnitte (paper cutting). She taught many classes in these crafts at the YWCA and in her home. She sold many of her crafts at a yearly holiday bazaar. Margaret loved Christmas. During the first year she worked, she used her earnings to buy one Christmas present every month. Known to her family as "Auntie M," Margaret's enthusiasm ("Yippee skippee") and sense of adventure will be sorely missed. Margaret is survived by two nieces, Mrs. Jo Ann (Faires) Lines of Carnation, Washington and Mrs. Donna Rae (Faires) Lolkema of Ferndale, Washington, two nephews, Mr. Leslie John Faires of Redding, California and Mr. David William Faires of Bonney Lake, Washington, 7 great nephews, 1 great niece, and 2 great great nephews. Arrangements are being handled by Heritage Memorial Chapel in East Wenatchee. Margaret will be laid to rest in the family lot in the Corvallis, Montana cemetery with her parents, both sets of grandparents, and her mother's brother and wife.