Margaret Brickley

Margaret (Meg) Witmer Brickley, 76, of Kerrville, Texas, beloved mother, daughter, sister, wife and grandmother, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2020 after enduring several years battling Frontotemporal Dementia. Meg was born on October 4, 1943 to Lt. Robert M. Witmer and Mrs. Margaret (Peg) N. Witmer at Norfolk Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. As the daughter of a Naval Officer, Meg moved around the country frequently throughout her childhood, graduating from Alameda High School in Alameda, California. She studied for one year at Mills College in Oakland, California before attending American University in Washington, D.C. when her father was transferred to the Pentagon. There, she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, a discipline that fascinated her throughout her life. She was married shortly after to Peter Brooks Thatcher, a newly commissioned Air Force Officer. They enjoyed many places of residence and Meg welcomed the familiar military lifestyle to which she was accustomed. As Air Force orders dictated, they lived in Denver, Colorado, Las Vegas, NV, Fairfax, VA, Honolulu, HI, and San Antonio, TX just to name a few. Meg worked in various capacities in several offices over the years as a Paralegal and Banking Assistant, but always treasured her primary role as a stay at home mother to her daughter Jennifer.\r\n\r\nMeg was an avid reader (mostly crime novels and mysteries), and exceptionally interested in nature photography, travel, the arts, dancing and animals. In almost all of her many relocations, her first order of business was to find the best dance school in the area to register herself for ballet and jazz classes. This was a hobby she shared for many years with her daughter, Jennifer. One of her most profound passions was her love for animals and she adopted countless stray animals over the years as adored family pets. Long, cross country roadtrips to visit family and friends were a favorite leisure activity for Meg. She fancied the open road and never tired of beautiful scenery and new adventures. Her family will remember many summers with Meg at Solid Comfort, a storied fishing camp on the French River in Northern Ontario. She often joked that the fishing was lousy, but there is no question that cherished memories were abundant with her Great Uncle Jack, her parents, brothers, second husband Phil, children, nephew Matthew and grandchildren Stephen and Elena. In recent years, Meg and Phil enjoyed several cross country trips in their new RV to Hudson, Ohio, Key West, Florida, Ruidoso, New Mexico and Port Aransas, Texas to visit with family and friends, Meg's most treasured pastime.\r\n\r\nAfter somewhat of a nomadic lifestyle as a child and young adult with some twenty-odd moves under her belt, Meg spent most of the last 35 years in Corpus Christi and Kerrville, Texas with husband Phil. Between living in Corpus and Kerrville, Meg and Phil spent several years in the Philadelphia area to be near Meg's mother and brother Philip's family. In all of her travels and moves, both early in life and later, she collected many friends along the way.\r\n\r\nMeg will be missed in all manner of ways. Her exquisite beauty, inside and out, and captivating green eyes will be remembered by all who knew and loved her. She was a kind, gentle soul with a quiet strength and profound thoughtfulness. Her family will miss her brilliant, contagious smile and her fanciful, sparkling Christmas wrapping. Meg's artistic flair and creativity was apparent in her abundantly generous gifts to family members over the years and her playful wit and genuine personality will live on through family stories and memories. Meg's eternal optimism and ability to accept life's challenges with grace and humility will continue to be an example for us all.\r\n\r\n\r\nMeg is survived by her daughter Jennifer Thatcher (Dave) Bianconi; stepchildren Kim (Richard) Kirchmeyer and Jeff (Cindy) Brickley; brother Philip (Bonnie) Witmer; grandchildren Stephen, Elena, Ryan (Amanda), Brandon, Tyler, Philip, Alison and Evan; and nieces and nephews Matthew, Katie, Geoff, Doug, Allison, Dayna, Paula and Leesa; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents Bob and Peg Witmer, her youngest brother Robert Stephen Witmer and her husband Philip Brickley.\r\n\r\nThe family will announce a memorial service at a later time when family and friends can gather to celebrate the lives of Meg and Phil together, as they would have wished.\r\n\r\nIn memory of Meg, please consider making a donation to Pet Peace of Mind Hospice Program through Peterson Hospice Care, a new program offering compassionate support to hospice patients and their ‘four-legged' family members. Peterson Hospice Pet Peace of Mind, 250 Cully Drive, Kerrville, TX 78028. Please be sure to indicate that your gift is in honor of Meg Brickley.