Margaret Armstrong Staton
Margaret Armstrong Staton, left us to be with the angels she loved on Thursday, April 5, 2018.
She passed away peacefully at her home in Montecito, California, surrounded by her loving staff and great friend, Linda Drevenstedt of Ventura, California. She was born on May 14, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her family later lived in Yonkers, New York, and then settled in Atlanta, GA. when she was two years old. Atlanta was home until she relocated to Montecito in 1996. Margaret became paraplegic as a child, though she was never Dis-Abled. She lived a full and wonderful life, always supporting the arts, many charities and the disability community.
Margaret graduated from Georgia State University in 1968 with a degree in Classics and in 1974 with a master’s degree in Education. Margaret was not only a strong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, but also an educator and mentor. She created scholarships for graduate students with disabilities at Georgia State University where her contributions helped establish the Margaret A. Staton Office of Disability Services. Her endowment has already assisted over 2,000 students.
The Ethel Louise Armstrong (ELA) Foundation propelled Margaret’s vision to “change the face of disability on the planet.” ELA, created in 1995, awarded grants to organizations that supported arts and education for people with disabilities and scholarships for women with a physical disability who were pursuing a graduate degree. ELA also funded a technical assistance program to provide needed education in the requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act and Audio Description for theaters.
Margaret, a true Steel Magnolia, enjoyed graciously entertaining friends and created a lovely home full of art and flowers. She loved football, especially watching her Atlanta Falcons; there, her fun, spit-fire nature came out to play. She was a devoted, generous and supportive friend. Margaret was predeceased by her mother, Jocelyn Botterell Staton of Winnipeg, Canada, and her father, John Curtis Staton of Atlanta, Georgia.
Margaret is survived by two sisters and a brother: Mary Staton and her husband, Michel Saint-Sulpice (Montecito); Louise Staton Gunn, and John C. Staton, Jr. and his wife Sue G. Staton, all of Atlanta. She adored her nieces and nephews, Wendy S. Burge and John C. Staton III of Atlanta; Curtis Gunn (Tucson) and Harry Gunn (San Jose, CA) and her cousins Daphne Botterell Payne (Dundas, Ontario) and Jocelyn Botterell Allen (Toronto).
There will be a memorial celebration at her Montecito home. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to an organization of your choice.