Burlington woman was a gracious, giving and creative friend, mother, wife and community volunteer
Margery Glass died on November 25, 2020, in Burlington, Vt. Born in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 1923, and descended from a long line of Washingtonians on both sides — including her parents, Ruth and Rodger Gessford — Margery was a graduate of George Washington University. President of her Pi Beta Phi sorority chapter, she made lifelong friends and dined with Pi Phi "sister" Margaret Truman at the White House. After World War II, Margery married John (Jack) MacLeod, whom she had met in kindergarten. There had been significant competition for her hand; one suitor came to the Gessfords’ home the morning of the wedding to try to convince Margery to marry him instead. Margery and Jack had three daughters — Sally, Anne and Lauren — while Jack’s advertising career thrived in downtown Washington. In 1960, with Jack suffering from heart disease, they settled in Burlington in search of a quieter life. They were warmly welcomed by Jack’s boyhood friend Bob Adsit and his wife, Mary Lou, as well as several other couples who formed a close-knit circle. Margery and Jack restored a house and barn/studio on South Union Street. Jack became a partner in the firm Wheeler, Wood and MacLeod, which produced the state marketing campaign “Vermont, the Beckoning Country”; it changed the face of Vermont forever. In 1965, Margery and Jack designed and built a house in Williston. Jack died, age 42, within months of their move. A year later, introduced by Eve Shakespeare, Margery and Eve’s brother David Glass married. Margery gained three stepchildren — Gordon, Nancy and Dickson Glass — who were mostly grown but with whom she established lasting close connections. Margery was an effortless hostess, supporting David’s career while also volunteering for numerous organizations, including the Lane Series, Mary Fletcher Hospital and Girl Scouts of America. Margery also took classes at the Shelburne Craft School to learn pottery making and went on to have a pottery studio of her own for several years. She also worked at Eve’s shop, Kado Gifts. Her family will never forget Margery’s excitement about special occasions, including birthdays. She had to be talked out of bringing a very special four-legged gift to Lauren inside to her through the house; the horse was undoubtedly as relieved as David was when she relented. Margery and David retired to Washington, N.C., and were delighted when Sally and her husband, Marcus, also…
Burlington woman was a gracious, giving and creative friend, mother, wife and community volunteer
Margery Glass died on November 25, 2020, in Burlington, Vt. Born in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 1923, and descended from a long line of Washingtonians on both sides — including her parents, Ruth and Rodger Gessford — Margery was a graduate of George Washington University. President of her Pi Beta Phi sorority chapter, she made lifelong friends and dined with Pi Phi "sister" Margaret Truman at the White House. After World War II, Margery married John (Jack) MacLeod, whom she had met in kindergarten. There had been significant competition for her hand; one suitor came to the Gessfords’ home the morning of the wedding to try to convince Margery to marry him instead. Margery and Jack had three daughters — Sally, Anne and Lauren — while Jack’s advertising career thrived in downtown Washington. In 1960, with Jack suffering from heart disease, they settled in Burlington in search of a quieter life. They were warmly welcomed by Jack’s boyhood friend Bob Adsit and his wife, Mary Lou, as well as several other couples who formed a close-knit circle. Margery and Jack restored a house and barn/studio on South Union Street. Jack became a partner in the firm Wheeler, Wood and MacLeod, which produced the state marketing campaign “Vermont, the Beckoning Country”; it changed the face of Vermont forever. In 1965, Margery and Jack designed and built a house in Williston. Jack died, age 42, within months of their move. A year later, introduced by Eve Shakespeare, Margery and Eve’s brother David Glass married. Margery gained three stepchildren — Gordon, Nancy and Dickson Glass — who were mostly grown but with whom she established lasting close connections. Margery was an effortless hostess, supporting David’s career while also volunteering for numerous organizations, including the Lane Series, Mary Fletcher Hospital and Girl Scouts of America. Margery also took classes at the Shelburne Craft School to learn pottery making and went on to have a pottery studio of her own for several years. She also worked at Eve’s shop, Kado Gifts. Her family will never forget Margery’s excitement about special occasions, including birthdays. She had to be talked out of bringing a very special four-legged gift to Lauren inside to her through the house; the horse was undoubtedly as relieved as David was when she relented. Margery and David retired to Washington, N.C., and were delighted when Sally and her husband, Marcus, also…