Returning to Cardiff in 1944 she went to Cardiff High School where she was very happy, and it was there that she developed her love of botany, architecture, drawing and classical music. In her 6th form year the family moved to London.
She trained as a nurse at St. Georges Hospital London, where she met Jonathan, a medical student. They married in 1958 after they had both qualified.
Working in Bath for a year she got a job teaching at a very exclusive private school catering for the less intelligent members of the British aristocracy. It was here she realised that she had a talent for teaching.
Their arrival in a newly independent Nigeria was precipitous. The family were booked to sail to Eastern Nigeria in 2 months but they had a phone call saying they were needed in Western Nigeria in 10 days. With an 18 month old baby nearly all their plane luggage was nappies and baby clothes.
Arriving at the hospital she found there were already three other Margarets in situ, so she became Meg from then on.
Staff children were home schooled and Meg proved a creative teacher. She also taught the nursing students, who sat English exams, how to 'see' two dimensional pictures and understand and draw diagrams.
Nigeria was turbulent and twice Meg and the children had to remain in the UK. During the Biafran war there was no communication possible for several months.
The family left Nigeria in 1971 to find day schools for the children and there were numerous choices.
Two interesting jobs offered in London entailed regular international travel but they did not want any more family separations. They also wanted space, a good climate and a smallish town. During two years in Te Kuiti Meg was honoured to be asked to help paint the meeting house.
Invited to Whanganui in 1973 Meg came down to look for a house. The first evening she phoned Jonathan to say there were no affordable houses but what about 5 acres of bare sandhill and marsh.
The deal was done with room to build for the four children and her parents. And so began the slow creation of a garden and the acquisition of four donkeys and much else.
She was in great demand as a speaker and also taught Bible in Schools, Sunday School and in adult study groups. She was a lay-preacher and served on the C.M.S. national committee.
In 1985 the then vicar of Christ Church suggested she make a banner for the church, this multiplied to near 50 banners over the next 25 years.
Working together as often as possible she became , against current advice, Jonathan's private practice nurse, and later, she joined him at Hospice Wanganui as a volunteer nurse. She did the art work and started the biography service. She also calligraphed the one year bereavement cards up to the month of her death.
An active peacemaker she contributed to a number of Pacifist conferences and journals as well as taking part in local peace events.
She rarely seemed rushed and always had time for people. Diffident and humble about her abilities she was nevertheless passionate about her beliefs.
She rejoiced in her four children, nine grand-children and the beauties of creation. She was a great encourager of all that she thought was good. Her life was centred on gratitude and love.
Invaded by a melanoma she liaised with her publisher, continued to support and encourage others and gardened until she was too weak to lift a spade. Her book of poems was published and seen by her two days before she died. She died on St. Georges day. Her ashes will lie in the garden she loved so much.
- Supplied