Margaret Forgach passed away on January 30th at her home in Taylor, Michigan.  She was 100. Margaret was born May 11th, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan, to Katherine Jessik and John Zidi.  She was raised in the historic Delray neighborhood, known as the “Little Hungary” of Detroit.  

Margaret was an only child.  She dropped out of high school to care for her ill-stricken father.  During this time, she met and married John Forgach.  When her father passed away, her mother lived with her and John, and the primary language spoken in the house was Hungarian.

They raised five children: Virginia (Ginny), Allen, Kathryn (Kathy), Susan (Sue), and Julie.  As neither Margaret nor John were able to finish high school, they worked very hard to ensure their children had the best education they could provide.

Margaret was a devoted full-time mother who took active roles in her children’s school activities:   cheerleading, Cub Scouts, football, music lessons, dance lessons, baking treats for all these various activities, and, of course, driving to and from all the activities.

She also ran an immaculate home, was an avid baker of breads and cakes, and was a parts runner for John’s collision business.  She was an active sewer and mastered the Bishop Sewing Method.  She made clothes and Halloween costumes for the children, suits for John, wardrobes of doll and Barbie clothes, and a wedding dress for her daughter.  She shared her love of sewing by teaching it in Taylor’s adult education program.

With her children raised, Margaret returned to school and received her high school diploma.  She then started college and took classes toward a degree in accounting.  She was very proud of finishing school.

She then became active in charitable and community work.  She helped the elderly with shopping and errands, served on the College of Regents of Melvindale’s Women of the Moose and attended Mooseheart, served as Treasurer of the Taylor Historical Society and was instrumental in shopping for and running the gift shop.

In her spare time, Margaret bowled in several leagues and won several trophies.  She loved playing cards, reading, assembling jigsaw puzzles, knitting, and crochet.  She had a green thumb, growing plants from clippings and seeds.

Beloved wife of the late John.  Loving mother of the late Virginia (Dave) Hayes, Allen (Martha), Kathryn (the late Stan) Heldreth, Sue (Don) Bojanowski, and Julie (Tom) Shaw.  Dear grandchildren, David (Patti) Hayes, John (Jennifer) Hayes, Cathy Hayes, Jennifer (Andrew) Smith, Michael (Kolby) Forgach, Melissa Vary, Kristen (Matt) Schroeder, and Adam Shaw.  Great grandmother of Bobby (Sara), Kyle, Austin, Brooklyn, Madison, Kinley, Brianne, Landon, Logan and Leeland.   And great-great-grandmother of Benjamin, Colton, Lakelyn, and Tracie.

A Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, February 10th, between 1 and 3 PM and the Memorial Service will begin at 2 PM located at Howe-Peterson Funeral Home 9800 Telegraph Rd. Taylor, MI 48180. In place of flowers, the family asks for a donation to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital.