Margot Schwarz Weston died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, on Friday, Dec. 30, while off-Island for the holidays. She was 102.

Margot was born in New York city on Dec. 3, 1914 to Walter and Hazel Schwarz. Her admission and attendance at Wellesley College influenced every aspect of her life going forward. The promise and assurance of an education for her sons and grandchildren fully reflected that. Margot’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge created a strong desire to stay current with world events and technical innovations. At 102, she used her laptop, iPad and mobile phone on a daily basis. She was a repository of information, and people would say “if you knew Margot you did not need Google.”

Her life was captivated by memories of world events from the World War I Armistice, to a man landing on the moon, to the recent presidential election. She was up to date on world news and enjoyed conversing with people from all walks of life and all generations.  

She was a world traveler starting with trips to Europe and the Alaskan frontier in her teenage years. Later on she again traveled to Europe and also repeated her 1933 cruise up the Yukon River on a United States ferry. In 1987, at age 73, she traveled to Australia for the America’s Cup and also spent time diving on the Great Barrier Reef.  At 90, she went soaring from the Katama Airport and was invited to return for a free flight when she turned 96.

Margot had a life-long passion for being on the water. While living in Florida, Margot and her husband, Robert, were members of the Miami Yacht Club and spent many years cruising Florida waters and the Bahamas.   

Her connection to the Vineyard began in 1923 at age eight. Her father was a founder of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club and she was the last surviving original member of the VHYC.  Her brother, Hugh Schwarz, served several terms as commodore and was a member of the Race Committee for many years. Margot was honored by receiving the two highest awards from the yacht club.  In 1992, she received the Thomas Jackson Cup, which was awarded to the member who typifies the highest degree of sportsmanship. In 2011, she received the Hugh Schwarz Lifetime Contribution Award.

After a fulfilling and challenging career at the superintendent’s office of the Miami-Dade County School System, she and Robert retired full time in 1979 to the family home, Seventh Heaven, on Vineyard Haven harbor. Never one to rest, Margot worked in administrative capacities for the Nathan Mayhew Seminars while taking computer programming courses. This transitioned to some 30 years of voluntary service with the Vineyard Haven Public Library, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum (Dukes County Historical Society), and the Service Corps of Retired Executives. Giving back to an Island that gave her so much pleasure culminated with receiving the Spirit of the Vineyard award just weeks before her 100th birthday.

Margot is survived by her sons Stephen and Michael Weston, their wives Brenda and Mary, and her grandchildren Kerrie Sullivan, Thomas Weston, Meghan Weston-Grimbert, Carly Anne Weston, Josette Tornabene-Kerns and Joseph Tornabene. She was further blessed with four great-granddaughters, Keara, Harper, Hazel and Sydney. She was aunt to Jeffery Walter Schwarz, Nancy Schwarz McMullen, Bobbie White, Judith Waltz, and Walter Weston. Margot was predeceased by her husband, Robert, in 1989, along with her brother and sister in law, Hugh and Mamise Schwarz, and their daughter, Pam. 

A celebration of life is being planned for later this year. Donations in Margot’s memory can be directed to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Village at Home, or Alex’s Place at the YMCA.