, 91, wild spirit, adventurer, passed away peacefully June 14, 2025, at her home in Grass Valley, California. She was born July 13, 1933, in Elyria, Ohio. She was preceded in death by parents Wilson James Cox and Margaret Hale Cox, both of Cleveland and brother Wilson Cox of Palm Desert, CA.

She is survived by her husband, George Dyer of Grass Valley, CA, brother David Cox (wife Wanda) of Santa Barbara and sister Judith Carter (deceased husband Eugene) of Park Ridge, Ill, son George (wife Suzie) of Nevada City, daughters Eva Le Bon (husband Doug) of Newport Beach, CA and Margaret Ward of New Hampshire, grandchildren Madeline and Julia Dyer, Shauna Le Bon and Seth Ward.

Margo grew up in the idyllic college town of Oberlin, Ohio – brick streets shaded by ancient elms, post-Civil War houses with wrap-around porches. Simple times. The addition of an automatic washing machine was cause for a neighborhood celebration. Margo loved daredevil diving off sandstone cliffs at a nearby quarry, riding horses at full gallop. She preferred bareback, performed riding stunts at local rodeos. Parents were determined to get her out of horse barns and manure-caked shoes, enrolled her in prestigious Ursuline College of Nursing in Cleveland, give her a proper education.

Not for Margo. At the start of her second year, she and her roommate buy a rusty jalopy (1939 Studebaker, bald tires), head west (California or Bust sprawled in red lipstick on the back window). Four days in, they stop at a roadside diner outside Las Vegas, Nevada, order a burger and shake. A movie star-handsome airman marches in. Like Tony and Maria in West Side Story, Staff Sgt. George Dyer turns his gaze to Margo, they lock eyes. Boom. Forget California. After a whirlwind romance, Margo, George marry, summer of 1954.

Next twenty years a kaleidoscope: husband George miraculously survives a jet plane crash, six months of rehab, then they’re off to Maine for George to finish college. They raise three wonderful children, eventually wind up in the coastal town of Port Jefferson, Long Island, where George joins the Grumman Aircraft team that builds the lunar landing module for the 1969 Apollo moon landing. Next came a move to New Hampshire, which precipitated a long separation for the couple.  In the meantime,  Margo finished her nursing degree at Dartmouth College’s key training and research center, Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, NH. Her job search discovered Fairbanks Alaska paid nurses three times what nurses earned in New Hampshire.

Off to Alaska. During splendid (painfully short) summers she learned to fly single-engine Piper Cubs, loved the vast, natural beauty. But she found Alaska too dark, too cold, moved back south, settled in Oregon where she received her master’s degree from Marylhurst College, Marylhurst, Oregon. She worked as a hospital nurse, later director of nursing and long-term care at Linn Care Center in Albany, Oregon, before finishing her career as instructor for nursing and home care at Mennonite Village Health Care Center.

Always up for an adventure, she spent her free time traveling, especially liked camping on beaches in Baja, Mexico. Little brother David remembers calling her on her 75th birthday, hoping not to interrupt an old lady’s nap. Sorry, Dave, can’t talk, white-water rafting on the Rogue River.

After retiring, Margo moved to a beautiful retirement community nestled in a forest of Ponderosa pines in Grass Valley, CA, near son George and wife Suzie in Nevada City.   In the meantime,  Dad, George Sr.,  ex-husband, retired airman/fashion model/PR exec, was living in Tucson, AZ.  He decided to give Nevada County a try also and signed a one year lease on a house in the Eskaton community near Margo’s house.  When they first saw each other again, it was if no time had passed.   Margo, George lock eyes. Uncomfortable pause. Boom. Ain’t love grand? Number of days George spends in his new rental house? You guessed it, zero. Margo and George spend her remaining years together, holding hands, short walks around the property, nice dinners, sunsets with a glass of wine. Lots of laughter.

George Sr., son George, daughter-in-law Suzie, daughter Eva, brother David enjoyed the last several days with Margo, telling stories, hugging, phone calls to sister Judy, daughter Margaret and granddaughters Madeline and Julie. Margo passed early Saturday morning, June 14, still a warm smile, happy to the end.