Margaret Ann Wightman, 84, of Camp Hill and formerly of Mt. Carmel, passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021 at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown. She was blessed to be surrounded by family during her final days. Born on April 2, 1936 in Danville, PA, she was the daughter of the late George and Margaret (Reese) Wilkinson. She was the widow of Glenn Clayton Wightman, to whom she had been married for 48 years.
Margaret was first and foremost a devoted family member. She was an involved mother, dedicated daughter, sister and wife. She hosted countless family events and remained connected with family members through their lives’ joys and challenges. She became a member of St. Paul’s UCC in Mechanicsburg in 1964, and taught Sunday school as a young mom. She later joined Pollyannas and the Call to Care Team. She received recognition for her 57 years of membership this spring.
Margaret graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1954. In her youth, she was an active member of Grace UCC in Mt. Caramel. She worked in the Victoria movie theater as a teen before attending Bloomsburg State Teacher’s College, where she earned a B. A. in Education, with a concentration in special education in 1958. She worked as a lead teacher in the nursery school in Grace United Methodist Church in Lemoyne and as a substitute teacher for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit.
She had many hobbies and was rarely idle. She was an ardent supporter of the Mt. Carmel Tornado football team, the Camp Hill High School field hockey team and whatever team included family members on the roster. She supported and enjoyed the arts, attending many school band and choral concerts, parades and drama productions. One of her favorite ways to get around Camp Hill was on her bicycle. She belonged to the municipal pool and participated in recreation activities offered by the community. A strong advocate for education, she attended school board meetings and was a member of the Elizabethtown College parent council. A keeper of tradition, she organized the annual Wilkinson Family reunion at Knoebels Grove Amusement Park as well as class reunions for Bloomsburg. Our home was filled with music, she played the piano routinely and took great pride in her home and her gardens.
She is survived by her four children: Barbara Wightman Freeman and her husband Michael, of New Cumberland, Glenn C. Wightman and his wife, Lauren, of Bethlehem, David Wightman and his wife, Hazel, of Harrisburg and Suzanne Wightman Van Kirk and her husband, John “Skooter”, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Margaret is also survived by 6 grandchildren: Jonathan Thomas (J.T.) Wightman, Margaret Costello, Annette Wightman, Rebecca Van Kirk, Katherine Van Kirk, Margaret Van Kirk and one great-grandson., Lucas Wightman-Paulhamous.
She was preceded in death by her sister Marion Chase, and her brothers George Wilkinson and David Wilkinson, M.D.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, April 1, 2021 in the Grace United Church of Christ, 136 E. 3rd St., Mt. Carmel, PA, with Rev. Joan Brown officiating. A viewing for Margaret will be held from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 31st in the Myers-Baker Funeral Home, 1903 Market St., Camp Hill, PA, and in the church on Thursday from 11:00 A.M. until the start of the service. Burial will be held following the service in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Masonic Village, One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022, or see the Giving page at masonicvillages.org. Please indicate “In Memory of Margaret Wightman” in the memo line of the check.