Margaret Elizabeth Beale

Margaret Beale stood just five feet tall and a fiercely defended half inch, yet her presence left an indelible mark on everyone she met. Born on May 14, 1948, in Portland, Maine, to the late Bernard and Angela Plummer, she carried a warmth and strength that far exceeded her petite frame. A devoted cheerleader and captain at Deering High School, Margaret never stopped supporting those around her, offering gentle hugs, patient listening, and thoughtful encouragement throughout her life.

She dedicated her career to the students of Greenville School, retiring after many years as an elementary teacher. In her classroom, she blended teaching with deep empathy, noticing strengths in children that others overlooked and helping them believe in themselves. For many, her room became a sanctuary of grace and kindness, a place where lives were quietly transformed through love and understanding.

At the heart of her world was her husband of 55 years, Leon. Their love story began in church and blossomed on a first date photographing the Maine shoreline, a shared passion they continued for five and a half decades, with Margaret always the cherished focus of Leon’s lens. Together they built a life filled with family adventures, selling handmade wooden toys at craft fairs, and summers at the family camp on Little Sebago Lake, where blueberries, card games, cookouts, and laughter wove the days together. Margaret tended her garden with care and pride, finding joy in each bloom.

As a mother, she gave her sons, Jeff and Nicholas, the ideal balance of freedom, support, challenge, and guidance. She remained their steady source of wisdom and laughter, the first person they called in moments of joy or sorrow. She is survived by her husband, Leon; sons Jeff (daughter-in-law Faiqa) and Nicholas; grandchildren Jenna and Zack; sister Sandra and nephews Christopher and David; and a large, loving extended family. Margaret lived by the belief that people may forget what you said or did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.