Margaret A Goodale, a loving wife, mother, sister and aunt, died on Saturday morning March 17. She was 71.

She was born on August 15, 1946 in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Frederick and Gwendolen Brewster. She grew up in Murray Hill, N.J. and graduated from New Providence High School.

She continued her education at Vermont College, where she studied nursing with the desire to become a flight attendant. It was there that she met her husband of 50 years, Jerry. After briefly living in New Jersey they returned to Jerry’s hometown of Vineyard Haven in 1970. For years she was a full-time mother of three and active at the Grace Church and in the community. She advocated for Martha’s Vineyard Hospital to allow natural childbirths and for fathers to be allowed in the birthing room. She was a charter member of the Island Alamanders square dancing club and participated in community plays. She assumed the bookkeeper’s role at Goodale construction in the mid 1980s.

After the death of her youngest son, Jeffrey, she started the Vineyard chapter of Compassionate Friends. In 1994 she was diagnosed with cancer. After a devastating year-long battle with the disease she was pronounced cancer free. She struggled for the following 24 years to regain the life she had before and enjoying travels when she could. Her hobbies included quilting, knitting, latch-hook rugs and skiing. She enjoyed her summers on the beaches of the Vineyard with family and friends.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry; her brothers, Robert, Alan and David Brewster; her children, Marston and Peter; and six grandchildren.

Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 31 at 11 a.m. at the Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven. A reception will be held at the church after the funeral service, at about noon.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1197, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or to Hope Health, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601.