Margaret H. Eibsen, 90, of New Paltz, a former longtime manager of the Boscobel gift shop in Garrison, died Aug. 4, 2017.
Known as “Marc” to friends and family, she was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. She was an independent, strong-willed woman with a sharp intellect, attributes she put to good use while attending Russell Sage College, from which she graduated in 1949 with a merchandising degree.
She married Robert L. Eibsen in September 1949 and went to work for Macy’s in New York City. She left to raise her four sons, including a set of twins, moving to Poughkeepsie. After the boys went off to college, Margaret resumed her career, this time at Boscobel House and Gardens, where she was the manager and buyer for its gift shop, a job she relished and at which she excelled.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Margaret’s talents were wide-ranging. She was equally adept at raising orchids and tending to her beautiful garden as she was whipping up multiple chicken pot pies for the annual Eibsen Christmas party. She was the consummate cook and an artist with paper and fabric alike, and she played a mean hand of bridge.
Margaret is survived by her sons, Douglas Eibsen, Donald Eibsen and Thomas “Bill” Eibsen, her daughter-in-law, Laura, and five grandchildren, Leslie, Lisa, Lauren, Peter, and Rachel. Her husband, eldest son, Richard Eibsen, and daughter-in-law Diane, died before her.
A memorial gathering will be held Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m. at Woodland Pond, 200 Woodland Pond Circle, in New Paltz. Memorial donations may be made to the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie (childrenshome.us) or Boscobel House and Gardens (boscobel.org).
