Margaret Hite Lankford's Obituary
Wishes
When parents Clarence and Mada Hite held their baby girl in their arms in the early fall of 1920, they wished a long and happy life for her. Nurtured by her loving parents she matured into a beautiful young woman who stole the heart of Douglas Milton Lankford. How could he resist her sparkling green eyes, the windows to her independent soul?
After high school, the pair was married and in what seemed a blink of an eye, they too were parents making the same wishes for their children, Douglas Jr. and Sherry.
Wife to Widow
The hardest part of being a wife and Margaret’s biggest life challenge was becoming a widow. Not that she wasn’t capable of living and functioning by herself; it just wasn’t the same. Margaret was soft spoken, but her powers to have her husband pay attention to her by merely saying “Bud Douglas!” never ceased to amaze the family.
Margaret’s happy, loving, pleasant disposition did not falter – in her granddaughter Leslie’s words, she was always the “sweetest thing”.
Gracious Granny
Throughout her life, Margaret could be found most often sipping a hot coffee or an ice cold coca-cola while planning how she would cook one her favorite dishes – chicken. She discovered joy in cooking and cherished entertaining family and friends. Family gatherings were plentiful, whether for a special occasion like Christmas brunch or the regular Sunday lunch lovingly prepared and served as the grandchildren were growing up.
Margaret’s proudest life moments were enjoyed when her family, and especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren, were around. In turn, these children remember her and are so proud of the “greatest and best mother and grandmother ever”. The children always looked forward to spending days, nights or weekends at Granny’s house. Granny was respectful and dignified in her treatment of children, allowing them to be children and experience life cocooned in her love.
Everyone loved the small lake which was virtually in Granny’s back yard nestled in the community of Brentwood, just south of Nashville. Doug’s three children were visiting one day and Granny warned them all to be careful not to fall into the lake. Much to the dismay of all three sisters, the youngest, Leslie who was fully dressed, accidentally fell into the lake. All were apprehensive about Granny’s reaction but agreed that Leslie had no choice but to go into the house and confess. The two sisters were concerned when Leslie didn’t come back out to play. Meanwhile Granny had shared her own clothes with her granddaughter and put the wet ones in the laundry. When the girls went inside the house to investigate Leslie’s disappearance, they found her eating ice cream at the breakfast table. So many reasons to love Granny!
Margaret became even more independent after her husband passed. One year when Leslie was living with her while studying, she came home from school and saw Granny pulling the Christmas tree down the steps. Leslie said, “Granny, I would have done it.” Granny said, “No, I did it”. She was unstoppable if she set her mind to doing something.
Loving Life Picture Perfect
The Brentwood Country Club was just a hop, skip and a jump away from the family home. When she wasn’t traveling, many hours were spent golfing and attending special events in the area. A bit of a social butterfly, her sincere spirit was welcomed at the Women’s Club, the Women’s Golf Association and various church groups.
Her love of basketball was contagious and family members shared her enthusiasm for her favorite sports teams – the Dallas Cowboys, Vanderbilt, and the University of Tennessee.
Heart of Gold
Family members will never forget her signature outfit - the Christmas breakfast red and gold pants. A perfect pairing with those golden pants was her heart of gold – she was so kind and loving. No matter what her role in life - office clerk, housewife, mother or grandmother – she had her priorities straight. To her the most important thing she could teach was to be kind and to have a strong steadfast love of family.
The source and foundation of her sweet and caring heart was her faith. Religion played a significant part in her life. She took her children to church and Sunday school at Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church, teaching them God’s way by modeling compassion and kindness throughout her life.
Legacy
Margaret’s ‘heart of gold’ ceased beating in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 92, joining her beloved husband, Douglas Milton Lankford, her parents Clarence and Mada Hite and her siblings Clarence Hite Jr., Inez (Eddie) Jones, Pauline (Ralph) Jones, Harold (Wilda, Clarice) Hite, John E. (Margaret) Hite and great grandson Jack Lankford Jones in eternal rest. Her legacy lives on in her children Douglas (Judy, Willa) Lankford, Jr. and Sherry (Buford) Hill, her six grandchildren Suzanne Ramsey, Amy Jones, Leslie Martin, Joshua Hill, Jonathan Hill and Lauren Hill, her step grandson and step granddaughter Dennis and Jennifer Burns and seven great-grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of flowers or contributions to Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 516 Franklin Road Brentwood, TN 37027, In loving memory of Margaret H. Lankford
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