Margaret passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones at her daughter’s home after a long battle with cancer, which she endured with grace and dignity. She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to William Mills and Margaret Morrison Mills Laurie.
During World War II she was evacuated to the Highlands of Scotland at Fort William for safety and remained there from ages 6-12. Her father was killed three months after her evacuation while serving on a minesweeper. After the war she was reunited with her mother in Edinburgh and finished her education by graduating from David Kilpatrick. During this time, her mother married Alexander Laurie, whom Margaret cared for deeply. On her 21st birthday, her mother and step-father gave her a beautiful watch which she wore daily until recent weeks. It was a prized possession, along with her mother’s engagement ring.
As a young woman she worked as a seamstress at Greensmith Downes, creating and altering high end clothing. In her mid-twenties, Margaret was hired by a US Air Force family to travel to Germany and be their live-in nanny on Hahn Air Force Base. It was there that she met and married Robert Jerry Gobel of Crawfordsville. They returned to the United States in 1962 and later divorced. Margaret made her permanent home in Crawfordsville in 1964. She began working for RR Donnelley & Sons that same year and worked there for 32 years, retiring in 1996. She spent her retirement working in her flower beds, attending grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s sporting and school events, mending sports uniforms and walking her dogs, Lincoln and Molly. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember her for her annual Easter egg hunts, her special treat bags, that her purse always contained snacks, and that no visit to her house was complete without a few of her Hershey Kisses. She provided in home childcare for multiple families in the community and was known as “Grandma Gobel” to many.
Although she was extremely patriotic and loved to celebrate July 4th more than most, she remained a loyal Scottish citizen. In 2003, for her 70th birthday, Margaret last traveled to her beloved Scotland for a month-long visit with family.
Margaret is survived by daughter Patricia Henson, Crawfordsville; and two sons, Alex Johnson and wife Gigi, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Dion Gobel and wife Lisa, Crawfordsville.
Other surviving relatives include: 12 grandchildren, Sean Gerold (Kelly) and Caleb Gerold (Megan Skaggs) both of Crawfordsville, Christopher Gerold of Danville, Indiana, Ashley Johnson of Alma, Michigan, Drew Johnson of Chattanooga, Brittany Gobel Miller (Paul Beagle) of Greensburg, Indiana, Kyle Gobel (Erin) of Crawfordsville, Lauren Gobel of Central City, Kentucky, Arizona Gobel, Chase Gobel, Derek Gobel and William Gobel, all of Crawfordsville; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Other relatives include: special nieces, Maxine Openshaw of Broughton Astley, England, and Beverly Donoghue (Frank) of Edinburgh, Scotland; and nephews, David Mills (Wendy) of Edinburgh, Scotland, Jerry Gilliland (Kathryn) of Crawfordsville and Brian Gilliland (Pam) of Spencer, Indiana; also, friend and sister-in-law Joyce Gilliland of Crawfordsville.
Margaret was preceded in death by her father; mother; step-father; brother Alec Mills; and son-in-law Mark Henson.
A memorial gathering will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, with a service starting at 6:30 p.m. at Burkhart Funeral Home, 201 W. Wabash Ave., Crawfordsville. The family requests attendees follow all CDC guidelines, including wearing a mask.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Margaret’s memory to the Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, 1104 Big Four Arch Road, Crawfordsville, IN 47933.
