Margaret Ann Chaltry

Margaret Ann Chaltry, age 96, of Munising died on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at the Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. She was born on August 24, 1928 in Munising to Raymond and Pearl (Varino) Hinz. Margaret had a childhood filled with sadness when her mother died during childbirth of her third child leaving Raymond with two small children. Margaret grew up with her father, brother, and grandparents in the West End of Munising. When she was sixteen and her brother was fifteen, their father died of an asphyxiation accident while working on boats. The grandparents died soon after and the kids moved in with their Aunt Irene. She graduated from Sacred Heart School and then started school at Mather, but graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in Green Bay. Margaret still considered Aunt Irene’s home her home. Margaret married Richard Kenneth Chaltry on June 12, 1948 and together they lovingly raised their six children. She briefly worked at the Paper Mill and then raised her children. As the kids grew, she went to work at Lincoln School as a teacher’s aide. Margaret eventually went to Central and worked as the librarian. Mrs. Chaltry loved the elementary students, and they loved her. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother for many years. Margaret and Dick were active community members and volunteers. They served as president and secretary in the Senior Citizens Club for ten years and served as tour leader for senior citizens motor coach trips. They were faithful members of Sacred Heart Church and Margaret was a member of St. Joseph Circle and volunteered at many funeral luncheons. They enjoyed traveling and took two trips to Korea to visit their son, Ric while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force. They also traveled to Hawaii and Alaska. She loved family gatherings and loved cooking for everyone. Their home was open to family and friends, especially during the 4th of July festivities. Margaret and Dick were married over sixty-eight years when he preceded her in death on March 19, 2017. Margaret was a talented pianist, and she loved games and puzzles – especially cribbage, pinochle, crosswords, and jigsaw puzzles. She enjoyed blueberry picking and she loved her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other people’s grandchildren. Margaret was playing with the kids on the floor late into her eighties. She persevered through the early sadness in her life and was the kind of mom, grandmother, neighbor and friend that everyone loved. Margaret had a twinkle in her eye, a little bit of sass, and a great sense of humor.

She is survived by her six children – Kenneth (Frances) Chaltry of Cooks, MI, William (Jodi) Chaltry of Arizona City, AZ, Richard (Elaine) Chaltry of Beavercreek, OH, Ann (Randy) Peterson of Thompson, MI, Gerard (Kim) Chaltry of Port Huron, MI, and Julie (Gary) Fisher of Howell, MI; fifteen grandchildren – Amanda, Rachel, Alex, Andrew, Sarah, Jennifer, Cory, Kelsey, Ryan, DJ, Bradley, Rebecca, Elliot, Lindsay, and Austin; six great-grandchildren –Zane, Darin, Chatham, Sydney, Zachary, Allie, Lauryn, and Jack; and some very special nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, husband, her infant brother, and brother Raymond (Connie) Hinz.

Services will be held in Munising on Thursday, August 21, 2025. Visiting time with family and friends will be at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Munising and the interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Margaret’s name are requested to be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital which was a charity she was passionate about.