MARGARET LEE TAWES, 97, of Crisfield, died Saturday, April 18, 2009 at McCready Memorial Hospital in Crisfield.

Born in Salisbury on March 8, 1912, she was the only child of the late J. Osbourne Nelson (died 1960) and Sadye Davis Nelson (died 1952). Her devoted husband of 48 years, John P. Tawes, preceded her in death on September 19, 1986.

She was a 1928 graduate of Crisfield High School and a 1932 graduate of Western Maryland College in Westminster, which was recently renamed McDaniel College. After her graduation from college, she taught music for six years at South Potomac Jr. High School in Hagerstown. She married her husband, John, in 1938, then moved back to Crisfield where she continued to teach music at Crisfield High School and Woodson Middle School until her retirement in 1972.

She was a faithful member of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church in Crisfield where she was the choir director from 1945 until 2002. She was on the Board of Trustees of Western Maryland College, and held memberships with the Maryland Retired Teachers Association, Somerset County Retired Teachers Association, Auxiliary Board of the Alice B. Tawes Nursing Home, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Somerset County Arts Council. She was also an honorary member of the Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad and the Crisfield Fire Department. Ms. Tawes also supported many other local organizations.

She is survived by two brothers-in-law, M. Dana Tawes and Robert Lee Tawes and wife Elsie M., all of Crisfield; three nephews, George D. Tawes and wife Patricia, Robert M. Tawes and wife Bonnie, and John P. Tawes, III and wife Jennifer, all of Crisfield; one niece, Stephanie Tawes Fykes and husband Larry of Pocomoke City; great-nieces and nephews, Greg Tawes and wife Jessica and their son Nathan, of Huntingtown, Maryland, Lori Riggin and husband Adam and their daughter Kennedy Tawes Riggin of Crisfield, John P. Tawes, IV of Crisfield, and Sarah Fykes of Pocomoke City; 11 cousins, Isabelle Mister of Crisfield, Dr. George Knefely, Jr. of Pensacola, Florida, Larry Larmore of Salisbury, Kessey Smith of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Jean Hayes of North Bethesda, Maryland, Sandy Jones of Gambrills, Maryland, Edie Santiago of Baltimore, James F. Stephens, Jr. of Burgaw, North Carolina, James Paul Stephens of Deal Island, Meta Webster of Princess Anne, Linda Hackett of Crisfield, and Terry Blades of Pocomoke City ; five special friends, Judy Smith of Crisfield, Sara Sullivan of Fallston, Maryland, Tommy Shores of Crisfield, Edwin Riggin of Crisfield, and Dr. Robert Thomas of Crisfield; and her special caregivers, Cathy Franklin, June Evans, RuthAnn Landon, Lottie Matthews, Cheryl Robertson, Dawn Hinman, Laura Parks and Jackie Cross.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 2 PM at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church in Crisfield where friends may call Tuesday evening from 7-9PM. The Rev.'s Philip Morris, Sterling Green, William Sterling and Deborah Pierce-Dunn will officiate the service. Interment will be in St. Paul's Cemetery in Marion Station.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to be sent to Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad, LSCARS, P.O. Box 406 or Crisfield Fire Department, P.O. Box 591, both Crisfield, Maryland 21817; or to a favorite charity.

Arrangements are in the care of Bradshaw & Sons Funeral Home in Crisfield. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.bradshawandsonsfuneralhome.com