Margot Morgan
Old Saybrook — Margot Wood Morgan, 85, of Old Saybrook, died on Jan. 23, 2019, at the Beechwood Long Term Care residence in New London. For 25 years she was married to John Morgan of Madison, until his passing in 2006. She was born in Cambridge, Mass., on Oct. 13, 1933, to the late Charles and Elizabeth Wood.
Margot attended the Westtown School in West Chester, Pa. from 1948-51 and then went on to receive her B.A. in English at Pembroke College (now Brown University), Class of ’54 in Providence, R.I. She also was on the varsity basketball, field hockey and tennis teams and was a contributor to the college newspaper while at Pembroke.
Margot and Arthur W. Donkin of Clearwater, Mich., were married in 1955 for 25 years and started their family in 1956 while Arthur completed his master’s of engineering degree at Rutgers University, N.J., after his Navy service. The family then moved to Illinois and Ohio, where Margot received her master’s of teaching degree from Oberlin College in 1964. She described her student teacher time at Oberlin College with vigor and enthusiasm for opportunities afforded to all students regardless of color just as segregation laws were changing and busing had begun.
The family moved from Oberlin to Madison in 1965 where Arthur was employed at the MIF Foundry in Branford, and Margot became a substitute teacher. After raising her family, Margot became a fulltime English teacher at Old Saybrook High School and in Old Lyme. However, she found her true calling as a special education teacher and was an advocate in her early years to help students with learning disabilities receive services in public schools. Toward the end of her teaching career, Margot served on the Old Saybrook Board of Education as secretary, from 1992-94 and then as chairwoman from 1994-95. Margot loved the woods and was a master horse woman. She was a regular parishioner of The First Church of Christ in Old Saybrook, but also appreciated the Quaker teachings from her Westtown School days. She enjoyed time spent each summer in Waterford, Maine, at the Pumpkin Pines and Hilltop family compounds on Keoka Lake.
Margot is survived by her four children: Jean Elizabeth (Liza) Dousson of New London, Steven Donkin of Worcester, Mass., Sallie Donkin of Essex, and Andrew Donkin of Seattle, Wash., and four children from her second marriage — Brec Morgan of Milford, Geof Morgan of Bellingham, Wash., Gail Morgan of Phoenix, Ariz., and Johnny Morgan of Waterford. She is also survived by her grandchild, John Biehn IV and wife Katie Biehn, and her great grandson John (Jack) Biehn V. She was predeceased by her two sisters, Sallie and Betsy Wood, and most recently her brother, Stewart Wood. Margot’s kind heart and warm friendship will be remembered always.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 17, at the First Church of Christ, 366 Main St., Old Saybrook. Welcome to First Church of Christ in Saybrook. Donations in Margot’s honor can be made to High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. at 38 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371 or give online — High Hopes Therapeutic Riding.
Services are charged to East Haven Memorial Longobardi-Brennan Funeral Home, 425 Main St., East Haven. Please visit Margot’s memorial page on the website and sign her guest book.