Margaret "Margy" A. Schacht

Margaret A. (Erickson) Schacht peacefully passed away surrounded by candles, flowers, and her family as they read aloud to her. She died as she lived: with gentleness and beauty. “She was a wonderful, wonderful person. Anyone who knew her would know that,” says Fred, her husband, who never forgot he “picked well” when he married his pretty, 19-year-old bride with the beaming smile.

“You’re her favorite,” we’d joke because, as Keith put it, “That’s the thing - she makes everyone feel like the favorite.” And if you’re reading this, you’re nodding because she did. She remembered your birthday, your grandkids’ names, and your favorite restaurant. She showed up for the wedding, the funeral, and the graduation, as well as to clean your house after the baby was born, bring the casserole after the loss, hold your hand, or offer that Margy hug. Her absence now will leave a heart-sized hole in birthday lunches, holidays, and book clubs. Margy not only celebrated everything, big and small, but she orchestrated the gatherings: over 50 years of hosting family-sized Thanksgiving dinners, over 20 years as New Year’s Eve Queen, 15 years of Margy’s Monday Movie Matinees, dozens of showers, hundreds of birthdays, and even a pizza party from her hospital bed the day before she passed. We all relied on her; now we must emulate her generous spirit, continue the celebrating, and rely on each other.

Born in Butte, Montana, Margy sadly lost her father when she was very young. Raised, then, by a single, working mother, two sisters, and Aunt Minnie, she learned about her own determination and resilience, and how gratitude makes life easier. She was also the object of Evel Knievel’s attention, but that’s a story for another time. Her charm, authenticity, and bright smile led her to twirl batons, sell concessions at baseball games, and be voted prom queen.

At 17, she began attending Seattle University, met and married Fred, and moved to Juneau, where she became a mother and learned how to fry fish. Life eventually brought them to Bellingham, where Margy built community after community: Broadway Park families, Assumption Parish, the Hospital Auxiliary, classroom volunteering, Alabama Hill families, and life as a sports mom, all while raising four children and, honestly, being a second mom to dozens of young people. Nod again if she fed you, listened to your story, gave you a hug and a brownie, and probably let you stay overnight. We see you, and we were happy to share her.

This is when she initiated the plot twist: she went back to school in her late 40s, starting with classes at Whatcom Community College. A special geology instructor changed her whole sense of herself as a student; she grew more confident, assertive, and focused, completing her BA in Human Services at WWU. Margy then began working as an Academic Advisor at WCC, and nothing made her more proud. Suddenly, our stay-at-home mom had the same job for 28 years! She loved her community, her packed lunches, her work clothes, and every one of her colleagues. She retired at 79 years old. Fred said it was a “big part of her life. She absolutely loved it there and would have worked there for free.”

Margy’s losses include her parents, Aunt Minnie, her in-laws, her sisters-in-law Gretchen and Paula, and close family friends Bob Copland and Frank Cratsenberg.

Her family abounds: Margy doted on her husband, Fred Schacht, for over 67 years, and continued to support and nurture her children, Mike (and Lila) Schacht, Karen Schacht, Keith (and Belinda) Schacht, and Amy Schacht (and John King), and grandchildren, Joe (and Meagan) Schacht, James (and Miya) Schacht, Erik Schacht, Stefan (and Maddie) Schacht, Rebecca Hurst, Olivia Schacht King, and Beatrice Schacht King. The absolute joy of her final years was the great-grands: Zenith and Arthur; she felt blessed every day to know them.

Her very close sisters, Helen Murnane and Kay Whelan, will miss her with every breath; brother-in-law Ken, sisters-in-law Julie, Kris and Maggie, and her other “sisters,” Helen Cratsenberg and Colleen Copland, kept her strong and vibrant. Margy loved and remembered every birthday of dozens of nieces and nephews, including the fake ones, Brian, Vickie and Nancy.

Margy believed in children and childhood. She talked to every child she saw, showing them that the world is a soft place. If you knew her, she probably gave you a baby gift, most likely a silver spoon, because she wanted us all to know we’re special; that is her gift to this world.

Join us to celebrate her life on Saturday, November 28, at 11:00 a.m. at Westford Funeral Home, 1301 Broadway, Bellingham.

If you’d like to support her legacy, donations may be made to the 
Whatcom Community College Foundation to support student scholarships in memory of Margy. 
Donations can be made in several ways:

Online: Donations can be made securely at whatcom.edu/give. Donors can indicate that their gift is “In Memory of Margaret Schacht” during the giving process. 
By Phone: Donors may call the Foundation office at (360) 383-3320 to make a gift by credit card. 
By Mail: Checks may be made payable to the Whatcom Community College Foundation, with “In Memory of Margaret Schacht” noted on the check, and mailed to: WCC Foundation, 237 West Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.