Margaret Isabel Stinson Tulk

Margaret Isabel Stinson Tulk, 103, of Towanda, PA passed away peacefully Saturday, October 5, 2024 at her home. Margaret was born on Easter Sunday, March 27, 1921 in Hamilton, Ontario Canada; the only child of John Rutherford and Hilda Pace Stinson. She attended Hamilton Central Collegiate for four years taking academic courses and graduated first in her class. At age 17 she went to work for the Hamilton Board of Education and remained there until she married Alexander Stuart Tulk, also of Hamilton, on June 8, 1946. In the fall of 1947, they left Hamilton and traveled to State College, PA where Stuart was enrolled at Penn State College (now The Pennsylvania State University.) Housing was limited due to the end of WWII and returning GI’s but they were lucky enough to find a small house in nearby Bellefonte. While in Centre County Margaret worked for Claster Corporation as a secretary. In 1951, Stuart graduated from Penn State with a PhD in inorganic chemistry and accepted a job with Sylvania Electric Products in Towanda, PA. Margaret and Stuart took the plunge into home ownership by purchasing land on the western edge of Towanda borough at the top of Poplar Street. There they had built a midcentury modern house designed by Architect Joe Kesnow of Towanda. Margaret made the house a home by combining her accomplished sewing skills, thriftiness, and creative talents making slipcovers, bed covers, and pillows in addition to drapes for the many picture windows. She made many of her own clothes and clothes for her three daughters, including formal dresses and wardrobes for their large families of dolls. Margaret’s children’s Halloween costumes were always hand made. Her outstanding dress-making achievements were the wedding gowns she made for her daughters. After her daughters took over responsibility for their own clothing, Margaret created and dressed numerous dolls as a member of a local doll club. She also made many fabric collages, hooked rugs, and other fabric creations. Other outlets for her creative talents were ceramics and painting in oils and later acrylics. Margaret was also an active member of the community, volunteering in many groups and organizations. As soon as Margaret arrived in Towanda, she volunteered for the Red Cross Blood Mobile and continued for many years until typists were no longer needed. She delivered Meals on Wheels, was secretary of the Friends of the Towanda Public Library, worked on Ugly Quilts for the homeless, made large mosquito nettings for people in Africa and made many items for the Abuse and Rape Crisis Center’s annual fundraising auctions. She was a member of the Towanda Woman’s Club. Margaret was an avid reader her entire life, being a member of the Sheshequin book club, the Towanda Public Library book club and the Bradford County Library book club. She and Stuart were members of the local Great Books discussion group in the 1950s and early 1960s and of the enjoyable meetings at the Mitchell house in Troy on Friday evenings in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years she attended the Silver Sneakers class at the Towanda YMCA. After Stuart’s retirement the couple combined their love of learning with their dislike of hot summer weather by traveling all over New England and Eastern Canada participating in Elder Hostel (now Road Scholar) programs. They also travelled to England and Ireland on learning trips conducted by instructors they met on these programs. Margaret continued to attend programs after Stuart’s death until she felt she could no longer travel on her own. Margaret was a great animal lover. She shared life with many cats who designated her as official door opener and closer and supplier of food and a warm lap. Margaret never met an animal that didn’t need to be fed. She supplied the back yard birds, squirrels, opossums, and raccoons with generous snacks. Margaret is predeceased by Stuart on May 4, 1991 and son in law Roland Rupp on September 22, 2024. She is survived by her children Catherine Rupp of Vineland, NJ, John (Eleanor) Tulk of Prospect, CT and Towanda, Hilary (James) Haight of Franklindale, PA and Gillian (Matthew) Tulk-Yartym of Corning, NY. She is also survived by grandchildren Andrew Rupp, Adam Rupp, Andrea (Tyler) Tulk, Alexander Tulk and Corinne Yartym (Jeremy Slovak), cousins Steve Pace, Ontario Canada and Andy Cranbury, Ontario Canada and very special friends Claire Borits and Tomoko Henty. The family wishes to extend gratitude to Kelly Vargason of Towanda who has spent countless hours visiting with and caring for Margaret in her final months/year. The family would also like to extend their gratitude to Linda Lamphere of Towanda and Guthrie Hospice. A graveside service will be held Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery, Towanda, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bradford County Humane Society, the Towanda Public Library or the Bradford County Library. Memories and condolences may be expressed by visiting www.bowenfuneralhomes.com.

Margaret Isabel Stinson Tulk

March 27, 1921 - October 5, 2024

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Margaret Isabel Stinson Tulk

March 27, 1921 - October 5, 2024

365 Days of Grief Support

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About Us

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