Margaret M. Kennedy

Margaret M. Kennedy was born March 26, 1928 in Chattanooga, Tenn. to Charles and Lena (Beebe) O'Shea. Her father's work moved the family several times, from Tennessee to Kansas and ultimately to Northern California.

Margaret attend Notre Dame High School in Belmont, Calif. and went on to San Jose State University where she completed her BA in education. She taught kindergarten in Northern California for several years before accepting an assistant principal position in the Mountain View School District in the San Gabriel Valley. She then completed her master's degree at Cal State Los Angeles and went on to become principal in the same district.

During summer months, she directed a camp in the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood. She married William Kennedy and began her second career of raising, breeding, racing and showing quarter horses. Her final phase of education was as a consultant in school improvement programs and elementary program planning for the office of the Los Angeles County Schools.

After retiring in 1985, she moved her ranch to Fallbrook, Calif. where she could devote more time to her horses. She also started another hobby, the sport of sheepherding with several border collies. Still needing to continue her interest in early childhood education, she served on the Fallbrook Elementary School Board for nine years.

She died peacefully at home on April 8, 2015. A celebration of life will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, Calif.