Rebecca Groom
My name is Rebecca Groom, and Margaret worked at my parents’ dental office in Tulsa for most of my childhood, from the time I was in elementary school all the way through high school. When I was little, I would call Margaret when I got home from school and she would just chat with me. She would guide me through making a snack, like a PB&J. She would let me sing songs to her, if you can believe that. Sometimes she would patch me through to my parents in an exam room and they would put me on speaker phone and let me sing my heart out, unfortunately for their patients who had to listen, because I’m basically tone deaf. I can only imagine the blunted laughter as I crooned. Margaret always said my name different than what I was used to, like “Ree-becca,” instead of the usual Oklahoman “Ruh-Becca.” Her way of saying it had a fancy, formal ring to it that made me feel really special and grown up. This truly kindhearted woman would entertain me at the front desk for hours, give me Highlights Magazines to peruse through those hide-and-seek games. She taught me how to type on a typewriter. She drove me to gymnastics practice I don’t know how many times, letting me play with her big, 90s “car phone,” sometimes letting me use it even though it was expensive. I’m now a gymnastics coach, which is so rewarding, and Margaret helped make that possible. Now even the kids I teach have and will continue to benefit from the far reaching effects of Margaret’s kindness. As I got older, after my parents divorced and sold the dental practice, and I had moved on to the Air Force and to college, I missed her a lot, and came to fully appreciate the role she played in my life. I found her on Facebook, and am grateful that I had the opportunity to tell her I’ve always thought of her as “Mama Margaret,” and to get to wish her happy birthday for many years. This year, I had deactivated my Facebook account, so when her birthday popped up on my personal calendar, I reached out to my brother, Luke (whom she always addressed by his proper name, Lucas), to ask if he would leave her a birthday message from the both of us. Sadly, we missed the notice of her passing and the funeral, but I’m grateful to be able to share and remember her now on this page. I really loved Margaret, and will continue to miss her as I have for many years. She was a sweet and gentle, lovely lady. May she rest in peace.
