Margaret A. Osteyee of Harleysville

Margaret A. Osteyee, nee Margrethe Louise Anderson, was born in Duluth, MN on Feb 21, 1915, to Norwegian immigrant parents.

She enlisted in the Navy during World War II and served between 1943 and 1946. Because she had a BA in English and music and a teaching certificate, she trained at Smith College to take on a teaching role during the war.

The call came out to enlist, “Ladies, help us win the war. Relieve a man for duty.” There were no men in her family the right age to serve, so she went. Her father put the red star in the window for her, indicating that a family member was serving.

Margaret was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, and Floyd Bennett Field, NY. She taught aircraft recognition and gunnery to cadets in the naval airforce. She taught the use of the gunsight mounted on F-4F fighter planes. This was a new gunsight developed during the war.

Margaret qualified as “pistol expert” on the .38-caliber revolver.

Her highest rank in the Navy was lieutenant commander, and she had qualified for commander when the war ended.

Before the war, Margaret taught in many schools, many states and almost all ages from second grade to high school.

After the war, she married and remained in NYC, teaching in public and private schools.

Music was always a joy in her life. Margaret sang until the day before her death. She has two daughters, both of whom became teachers.

Margaret is survived by her two daughters and four grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 107 W. Lincoln Ave., Telford, PA 18969. Family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, in the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, 33 N. Main St., Telford, PA 18969.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at the above address. Interment is private in Flushing Cemetery, Flushing, NY.

www.sadlersuessfuneralhome.net