Obituary of Margaret F. Stephens

Margaret F Stephens passed away peacefully Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at Shaker Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Albany NY, where she had resided for the past year. She was a longtime resident of Canisteo until late 2021, when her health made it advisable to move to the Albany NY area to be closer to family. She was born Margaret Elizabeth Findlay to the late Robert and Margaret Birnie Findlay in Buffalo NY on June 5, 1928. She was raised in North Tonawanda, graduating from North Tonawanda High School in 1946 as salutatorian. She attended Eastman Dental Dispensary in Rochester NY, graduating first in her class to become a dental hygienist in 1947. She came to the Canisteo area in the fall of 1947 to work one quarter each in the Greenwood, Jasper, Arkport and Canisteo School Districts as dental hygienist/health teacher. She studied for several summers at SUNY Cortland to obtain teaching certification in Health Education, and was eventually employed full time by the Canisteo Central School District where she worked and taught for many years. Margaret loved Canisteo and the many friends she made in the area over her many years here. She was active in numerous school, church and community activities for most of her life. She was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Canisteo, and active well into her 90s in the Kanestio Historical Society. She always loved meeting new people and encountering old friends and former students from her days at CCS, and maintained many friendships from the other districts where she was originally employed. She and several dear friends played cards together every Monday for over 65 years. Margaret not only loved the Canisteo Valley, but she also met the love of her life here, Richard “Pete” Stephens of Greenwood, whom she married on January 29, 1949. They moved from Greenwood to Canisteo in 1951. Pete’s “retirement hobby” was the former Stephens Tree Farm in Hartsville, where Margaret loved to greet families coming to cut or select their Christmas trees. She was very proud of her parents’ Scottish heritage as immigrant and first-generation Scottish Americans, and loved attending the Scottish Games in Altamont, NY every summer for many years. She was predeceased by her parents and brother John B Findlay of Batavia, NY, her husband of 60 years Richard H Stephens, her son-in-law Paul David Smith of Canisteo and Berne, NY, and her nephews Barry F Quinn of Honeoye Falls, NY, David Stephens of Washington, and James J Findlay of Batavia, NY. She is survived by her daughter Margaret “Peggy” Smith of Delmar NY, grandsons Colin D Smith of Boston MA and Ian R (Naila) Smith of Manhattan and one great grandson, Kurt Hanak Smith of Manhattan, nieces Beverly Quinn Ryan of Leesburg VA, Martha (Barry) Quinn of Honeoye Falls, Patricia Stephens of Vancouver WA, Elizabeth Findlay of Leroy NY, Mary (Findlay) Crandon of Cape Coral FL, Ann (Findlay) Chilano of Batavia, and nephew Greg Van Allen of Ossian, as well as several great and great-great nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 3-5 pm Sunday, December 10th, at the H.P. Smith & Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo, where a funeral will take place Monday, December 11th at 10:00 am. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, NY. Memorial contributions in Margaret’s name may be made to either the Kanestio Historical Society, Main St. Canisteo, the Canisteo First Presbyterian Church, 10 South Main St. Canisteo or to the Canisteo Fire Dept. 14 South Main St. Canisteo, NY 14823.