Marguerite "Marge" W. (Windish) Wheatley

Marguerite (Marge) Windish Wheatley; Marge Wheatley passed away peacefully on September 8, 2023 at the age of 98.   She was born in Pittsburgh on April 15, 1925 to the late John A. and Theresa DeCocco Windish. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 32 years, Thomas Boyle Wheatley, who passed away in 1982, daughter Susan, who passed in 1995, her brother Jack Windish and sister Theresa Meyer. She is survived by her son Tom Wheatley and daughters Joan T., Maureen (Mark Cosgrove) and Janet L. Wheatley. Following graduation from Coraopolis High School in 1943, Marge worked as a laboratory clinician at Lewis Foundry.  At age 20, she enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and  served through the end of World War II, reaching the rank of Corporal. Her service was very meaningful to her and she reminisced about this time even as her memory faded. Upon returning home after the war, she attended Duquesne University on the GI Bill.  She and Tom met through a mutual friend, married, and settled down in Moon Township to raise their family of five kids.  These were wonderful, happy years.  Tom was City Editor of the Pittsburgh Press and Marge took on the care of the kids and the home. Marge and Tom  were charter members of St. Margaret Mary Parish  and were active in the church. They enjoyed  a varied and diverse social life filled with theater, music, and socializing with their many friends.Penn State homecoming weekend was a highlight of every Fall, as they gathered with Tom’s college buddies and their wives. Tom’s death left her a widow at age 57.  Nevertheless, she saw to it that the last of their kids completed her education and went off into the world, while also caring for her mother until her passing. Looking for a new direction in her life without her husband, Marge soon found her footing working as an aide at St. Margaret Mary Kindergarten, where she was a natural with the children.  She also volunteered at Travelers Aide at the Greater Pittsburgh Airport for 19 years and later volunteered for many years at Girls Hope, a home for at-risk youth. Marge also had a creative flair. She played piano, did crewel needlework, and learned to sew clothes for herself and her four daughters.  And much to their delight, she made outfits for their Barbie dolls one particularly memorable Christmas, using cloth remnants from their own outfits. She had a zest for learning and travel.  With friends and family, she traveled to China, Ireland (3 times), Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Hawaii, and  many Caribbean Islands. Over the years she took classes in cooking, photography, and computers, among others, and was a voracious reader. Marge never considered her age when she approached a new adventure. She was in her 60s when she took up downhill skiing and in her 70s when she began figure skating lessons after her young granddaughters began skating competitively, which reignited her childhood love of pond skating. She was a regular in fitness classes at Silver Sneakers and a daily walker through her neighborhood. As anyone who has walked past the Wheatley house can attest, Marge had a green thumb.  She could be found working in her flower gardens daily in nice weather into her 90s. Marge was a marvelous cook, but was most fond of baking. She loved to entertain, and hosted dinners for the extended family at the holidays and special occasions until she was slowed by health issues in her 90s. She was a remarkable woman, wife, mother, friend, advisor, and confidant to several generations of off-spring, most especially her three beloved grandchildren, Tom (Paige) Wheatley, Katie Robles, and Caroline Wheatley (Santana Diaz); and her adored great-grandchildren:  Sequoia Robles, Cassidy Wheatley, and Leia and Alani Diaz. She was a loving Aunt Margie to dozens of nieces and nephews. The Wheatley family owes a debt of gratitude to the exceptional loving care provided by Care Comfort Hospice and Amedisys Home Care. Details of her memorial service will be provided at a later date on the Copeland website Copelandfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to West Hills Meals on Wheels (1205 Ridge Ave, Coraopolis, PA  15108), or a charity of your choice.

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