Margaret Wilcox

Margaret Ann Croft Wilcox, 83, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away at Oyster Creek Manor Assisted Living Center in Missouri City, Texas on January 14, 2019.

Margaret was born January 15, 1935, to Jess and Venna Croft in Idaho Falls. She grew up in Idaho Falls with her three sisters and one brother. As a child, she loved reading, riding horses, and spending time on the family’s ranch east of town. Margaret graduated from Brigham Young University and taught elementary school in Idaho Falls. She later served a mission for the LDS church in the London, England mission. After her mission, she returned to teaching in Berkley, California.

While teaching school in Berkley, California, she met the love of her life, Thomas Wilcox. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 25, 1964, and they lived in California’s Bay Area where Tom worked as a nuclear physicist at the Laurence Livermore Laboratory. Their two children, Tom and Ruth, were born there. Margaret and Tom moved to Idaho Falls in 1991 where they loved spending time at their ranch. Margaret was an active member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. In 2012, they moved to Houston, Texas, to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. They were married for 49 years when Tom passed away in 2013.

Margaret loved music and was always singing. She enjoyed playing hymns on her piano and attending the Opera and listening to Broadway Musicals. Margaret was an active member of the LDS church and regularly volunteered in the communities where she lived. Friends and acquaintances spoke often of her kind and loving nature. Tom and Margaret enjoyed learning together and took classes and often traveled. She especially enjoyed the trip back to England where she reunited with mission friends and did some genealogy work. She also had the opportunity to travel to the Holy Lands with her parents and siblings. She often talked about the impact that made on her life.

Margaret is survived by her daughter, Ruth (Dale) Jeffery, Missouri City, TX; her daughter-in-law Crisandra Hamilton (Mike) Galveston, TX; grandchildren Cassandra Wilcox Webster, Texas, Ryan (Mallory) Wilcox, Salt Lake City, UT; Logan (Maggie) Jeffery, College Station, TX; and Spencer Jeffery, Rexburg, ID. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Wilcox; her son, Thomas Wilcox III; parents, Jess Croft and Venna Harding Croft; siblings, Virginia Snarr, David Croft, Venna Reed, and Julia Hurst.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 26 at 11:00 a.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue, Idaho Falls, Idaho. The family will receive friends and neighbors at Wood Funeral Home on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be at Fielding Memorial Cemetery.

The family would like to express its great appreciation to the staff at Oyster Creek Assisted Living for the tremendous love, respect, and kindness they showed Margaret in the five years she lived there.

Funeral Services will be held