Marguerite Galacar, 87, Was Resident of Ipswich

Marguerite Galacar (née Houle), wife of the late Charles Galacar of Ipswich, died May 3 at the Beverly Hospital after a long illness, of heart failure. She was 87.

Mrs. Galacar was a longtime resident of Ipswich and from 1959 until 1993 was resident curator of the Heard House (Waters Memorial) at the Ipswich Historical Society. She was born in 1916 to Arsene and Parmelia Houle of Cambridge, the youngest of seven children. She married Charles Galacar of Ipswich in 1940 at Church of the Advent in Boston, and they lived at 25 Brewer street in Cambridge. They summered on Argilla Road in Ipswich and spent a lot of time on the Vineyard during summers in the 1930s and 1950s.

She and Charles were avid mountaineers and used Jackson Hole, Wyo., as their base for several ascents while climbing with Paul Petzl in the Grand Tetons. Margo, as she was known, had a self-effacing, generous spirit which was tolerant of people's shortcomings; her persistent curiosity, humor and imagination endeared her to many.

Mrs. Galacar is survived by two sons, Frederic of Manchester and David of Ipswich, and three grandchildren, Joshua and Christian, both of Gloucester, and Sophie of Manchester.

A private funeral is being arranged by Whittier-Porter Funeral Home in Ipswich and a date for a memorial service has not been set. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Ipswich Historical Society, 54 South Main street, Ipswich, MA 01938.