Margaret C. Chiglinsky

Born: 4/16/1914
Died: 12/22/2011

Margaret C. (Salatka) Chiglinsky, age 97, of Landenberg, PA, formerly of New Castle, DE, and Girardville, PA, passed away on Thursday, December 22, 2011, at her daughter’s home surrounded by family who loved her and will miss her very much. Margaret is the daughter of Lithuanian parents, the late Juozas and Marijona Salatka.
Margaret grew up in Girardville, PA. She had polio at an early age, overcoming the disorder to enjoy a love of mountain climbing to explore and to collect wild huckleberries and mushrooms. After high school, she worked at the Ashland Coat Factory throughout World War II. She attended St. Vincent’s Catholic Church where she was a very active member in church social functions and the choir. When she married and moved to New Castle, DE, she once again became very active at Our Lady of Fatima parish, volunteering for all of their bazaars. She also worked part-time at Atlantic Aviation at the Wilmington (DE) Airport and at Jimmy’s Diner in Newark, DE.
Margaret’s hobbies and interests included volunteering at the Emmanuel Dining Room in Wilmington and being the primary babysitter for all her four grandchildren. She was an excellent cook and baker and produced many delectable Lithuanian dishes. She crocheted many pieces of table and dresser linen over the years. She possessed a keen sense of humor and beautiful aqua blue eyes. She loved to visit friends, do yardwork, write poetry, sew, read fiction and nonfiction, and read newspapers, including a Lithuanian publication from Shenandoah, PA. Above all else, she was very proud of her family whom she loved unconditionally. She was extremely generous with her time and money.
She was preceded in death by her husband John Chiglinsky, her sister Anne Marie (Salatka) Ackles, and her brother Albert. She is survived by her daughter Rose Marie McNelis with whom she lived and her son-in-law Joseph MeNelis, her daughter Marjorie Ann Chiglinksy and son John Richard Chiglinsky, both of New Castle, DE. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Laura, Patrick and Christopher McNelis and Matthew Chiglinsky; her nieces and nephews, Dorothy, Denise, Donna, Dianne and John (her sister Ann’s children) and Albert (her brother Albert’s son); great grandson, Sean McNelis; daughter-in-law Bridget McNelis; her Aunt Ona from Alytus, Lithuania; and many cousins and extended family members also from Alytus and Vilkavistis, Lithuania.
Visitation will be held from 10 am to 11 am on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, at the Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:30 am at Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church, 801 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE 19720. Interment will be held privately.
Besides considering flowers, the family suggests contributions to Our Lady of Fatima parish or to the church’s John Neumann Society (both at the address above) or to Brandywine River Valley Hospice, 121 Bell Tower Lane, Oxford, PA 19363, whose staff lovingly provided the end of life care to our beloved mother.