Margaret W. Niles, 97, formerly of Duke Center, Pa.,

STAFFORD, Texas - Margaret W. Niles, 97, formerly of Duke Center, Pa., passed away Wednesday (Feb. 29, 2012) at her daughter's residence following a brief illness.

Born Dec. 21, 1914, in Duke Center, she was a daughter of George and Ada Elizabeth Fish Wilcox. On July 3, 1936, in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., she married Herbert A. Niles, who passed away Jan. 10, 1984.

Margaret was a 1932 graduate of Kane High School. She attended Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. She was employed as a cook at the Duke Center Elementary School and retired after many years at the Kendall Refinery working in the insurance office and sales department sample room.

Mrs. Niles was a member of the Duke Center United Methodist Church and its Bible study. She was also a member of the Duke Center Garden Club and the Red Hat Society, and she was a longtime poll worker for the McKean County Board of Elections. She was an expert seamstress and cake maker, including wedding dresses and creative wedding cakes. She was an avid school and church volunteer and loved reading.

Surviving are two sons, Fred (Mary Marshall) Niles of Dayton, Ohio, and Herb (Karen) Niles of Huntington Beach, Calif., and his children, Stacy (Scott) Fitzpatrick of Huntington Beach and Hilary (Rick Agran) Niles of Columbia, Mo.; one daughter, Kay (Larry Sr.) Ewing of Stafford, and her children, Larry (Anne Marie Stephenson) Ewing Jr. of Mount Pleasant, Ill., Craig (Kim Parson) Ewing with their children, Zach and Noah, of Louisville, Ky., Jeff (Janice) Ewing with their children, Jayle and Cory, of Richmond, Brian (Nancy) Ewing of Sugarland, Clifford (Kathryn) Ewing of Smyrna, Tenn., and Anita (Mike) Furgison and her children, Aaron, Conner, Cameron, all of Stafford.

Also surviving are three sisters, Annabelle Sue of Allegany, N.Y., Dorothy Baker of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Hazel Ewings of Jamestown, N.Y.; as well as many loved nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by seven brothers, Art, George, Harold, Ronald, Jack, Kenneth and Robert; as well as two sisters, Gertrude Stratford and Esther Eakin.
Friends may call Friday (March 9, 2012) at the Duke Center United Methodist Church from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., at which time funeral and committal services will be held with Pastor Gary Sheesely officiating.

Burial will follow in Duke Center Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Dogs for the Deaf at www.dogsforthedeaf.org or to the Duke Center United Methodist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Frame Funeral Home, Eldred, Pa.