Margaret was born in Panguitch Utah to Susannah Janette Taylor and Parley James Lee June 19, 1917. When she was a young girl her father died from diabetes. Her mother later remarried to John Prince. She had a hard childhood growing up in the depression, her mother tried to provide but often they went without. Margaret spent some of her childhood living in a Presbyterian school. Their are some discrepancies about her age - her first marriage certificate says she was 18 when she married George Sharrett but census records indicate that she was only 16 when they married. She had two children with George, George Robert Sherratt Jr. (Bobby) and Janet Ann Sherratt. George and Margaret divorced about 1941 because he was unfaithful to her. She later married James (Tommy) Haston Thompson on 30 July 1944. They met at a church dance and when he said he couldn't dance she took it upon herself to teach him. Tommy and Margaret had two children, Preston Lee Thompson (who died when he was only 3 months old from a urinary track birth defect) and James Haston Thompson Jr. Margaret and Tommy lived in Salt Lake City when they were first married. Margaret worked as a waitress at Hot Shots (now Little America) and Tommy worked for a tire store delivering tires on a motorcycle. They bought a duplex with her half brother Ardon Prince. They later bought a home in Kamas and became the owners of Thompson's Chuck Wagon. The Chuck Wagon was famous for their Ranch burger that was the size of the plate. They both worked very hard and the restaurant was a success. They taught their children to work hard at the Chuck Wagon.
Their son Jim decided to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when he was about eleven years old. He convinced his parents to become active again and they both gave up tobacco and alcohol. They were later sealed in the Temple.
Eventually they bought a Ranch on Mirror Lake Highway where Tommy could take his horses up the mountain and hunt. Tommy and his sons Bob (step son) and Jim (James) were often found on the mountain hunting and trapping. I grew up hearing stories of Bears, Mountain Lions, Elk, Moose, Deer, Racoons, Skunks and Pot Guts.
Tommy and Margaret sold their restaurant to Bob and Bonnie and retired. They both worked hard and saved their entire lives and were able to retire comfortably. They bought a second home in Tuscon Arizona and became Snow Birds.
In September of 1984 they lost their son Jim (my father) in a tragic boating accident at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. It was a very hard time for the whole family - but life goes on.
Tommy and Margaret sold their home in Tuscon and moved to Marana Arizona. They enjoyed their winters in Arizona and summers in Kamas. They enjoyed their grandchildren very much and were involved in their lives.
They also served a stake mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Margaret began to get sick in the mid 1990's and was diagnosed with diabetes. She tried to live as normal as possible but eventually her kidneys started to fail and she started dialysis. Her husband Tommy took very good care of her and for years they were very happy despite of her illnesses.
In 2006 Margaret's quality of life declined and she decided to stop dialysis. Seven days later she passed away peacefully in her home in Kamas with her family near. One of the last memories I have of my grandmother were singing "You Are my Sunshine" around her bed - she went into a comma that night.
My grandma was a very strong women, if she had an opinion about something your knew it. She liked to get her way and most of the time she did. Her husband loved her very much and always tried to make her happy. She was a spit-fire red-headed women who lived a long full life.