Margaret Arella Guinney

Margaret Arella Guinney - GUINNEY, MARGARET ARELLA (PITMAN)" Passed away peacefully at home on May 26, 2010 surrounded by family and her devoted Fijian caregivers. She was born to John Franklin and Mabel Dunlap Pitman on April 8, 1915 on the family farm near Freewater, Oregon. The oldest of four children, Margaret excelled in school and followed her passion to move to the big city to become a registered nurse. After fulfilling her pre-nursing requirements at Walla Walla College in Washington, she took the train to Los Angeles and entered the St. Vincent"s School of Nursing. She met Dr. Francis Guinney, her future husband, during a six-month training period at City Maternity at the Los Angeles County General Hospital. They were married two years later on October 28, 1939 at Wee Kirk O" the Heather Chapel at Forest Lawn. Margaret led an active and fulfilling life in Los Angeles, the city she loved. She was a member of the Women"s Auxiliary to the Los Angeles County Medical Association, the California Hospital Service Guild, the St. Vincent"s Hospital Auxiliary and chairperson of the volunteers, P.T.A. president at Castle Heights Elementary School, den mother of a Cub Scout den, and assistant leader of a Campfire Girls group. She joined the Cheviot Hills Garden Club in West Los Angeles and became hobby chairman and finally president. She helped form the Cheviot Hills Republican Women"s Club and was 61st Assembly District precinct chairman for about sixteen years. One of her major commitments was to the High Hopes Investment Club for which she served as the treasurer and business manager for many years. Through all of her activities, she made many enduring and enriching friendships. She took many hobbies seriously: stamp collecting, travel photography, bonsai gardening, genealogy, sewing and needlepoint. Her travels with her husband took them all over the world. She always had in mind the next place she wanted to explore. In April 2000, Margaret and Fran moved to Oakmont in Santa Rosa, to be close to family. Health issues prevented her from being more active in the Assistance League of Santa Rosa, an organization she joined soon after arriving in the area. Although her interests kept her busy, she always made time to be a devoted wife and mother and later, grandmother and great grandmother. The wisdom and values she inherited from her parents were passed on to her family. She is survived by her husband of seventy years, Francis; daughter, Marianne Larsen of Sioux Falls, SD, her son, Lawrence Guinney and wife Cynthia of Santa Rosa, CA., grandsons, Stephen Larsen of Shanghai, China, Jeffrey (Sarah) Larsen of St. Paul, MN, Mark (Shonalie) Guinney of Mill Valley, CA, Justin (Justine Way) Guinney of Seattle, WA, Gregory Guinney of San Francisco, CA and six great grandchildren, Alexander, Arya, Devin, Elijah, Finian and Owen; a brother, Kenneth Pitman of Salem, OR, nephews Daniel and Mark, niece Diane, and the last of her cats, Henrietta.