Margaret Diane Walters
July 3, 1946 - January 3, 2024
Margaret Diane Walters (Maggie or Margo Hill) passed away in the afternoon of January 3, 2024, following a brief and unexpected illness in Walnut Creek, Calif. Maggie was 77 years old and a loving mother, devoted grandmother as well as an accomplished artist.
Born in Louisville, Ky., on July 3, 1946, as Margaret Hill, Maggie grew up in Chicago, Ill., and attended Goucher College in Baltimore, Md. After forming lifelong friendships at college, Maggie pursued her interests in French and art, studying in Paris and earning her Master’s in Art and Design in London. Maggie settled in England and had two daughters with her husband, Robert Bruce Walters.
In the mid-1990s, Maggie returned to the United States with her daughters, where she settled in California and became intimately involved in the holistic health therapy and art communities. Her involvement in holistic health included work in CranioSacral therapy and massage therapy/touch therapy with Alzheimer’s clients, in addition to authoring a book called “Finding the Bloom of the Cactus Generation.” With respect to the art community, Maggie was a founding member of the Lafayette Art Gallery and the Moraga Art Gallery, as well as a board member of the Lamorinda Arts Alliance. She participated in many other fine art events in the Lamorinda/San Francisco Bay Area, including ProArts and Open Studios.
Maggie was an avid traveler - visiting Peru, China, Bali, Australia, Tibet, Nepal, Colombia and Europe, among other destinations. Maggie’s interest in other cultures was depicted in her artwork, as it evolved from sketches to watercolors and plein air to oils and acrylics, with still-life and models. Maggie’s most recent interest is demonstrated in her work with silk in various mediums, including paintings, coasters, journals, magnets and scarves, among other items. The vibrancy of the dyes is what drew her to this modified batik style art.
Maggie enjoyed spending her summers at her lake home in Minnesota, close to where her mother grew up in Lisbon, N.D. In recent years, Maggie has also been involved in the art community in Minnesota, including the Cormorant Area Art Club and Art of the Lakes in Battle Lake.
In addition, to art and travel, Maggie enjoyed spending time with her family, especially with her three grandchildren. Maggie will be remembered as kind, creative, community-centered and family-oriented. Maggie leaves behind her two daughters, Diana Walters and Caroline Walters Schneidereit; her son-in-law, Michael Schneidereit; her three grandchildren, Imogen, Oliver, and Lucas; and her dog, Toffee. She will be deeply missed by her family and community.
A memorial for Maggie will be held at St. Stephens Church, 66 St. Stephens Dr., Orinda, Calif., on February 3, at 1 p.m. to be followed by a reception at the Moraga Art Gallery, 432 Center St., Moraga.