Margaret Ellen Cooper

Margaret Ellen Cooper passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on June 28, 2025. She had been a resident of Cathedral Village since 2022. She suffered a traumatic fall in January 2025 and passed away just a few weeks before her 84th birthday.

Born in 1941, Ms. Cooper grew up at the Jersey Shore, the beloved daughter of George N. Cooper and Margaret Courter Cooper. After graduating from St. Rose High School in Belmar, NJ, Margaret entered the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Chestnut Hil in Philadelphia where she was known as Sister George Marguerite. While teaching in schools in the area, she earned her bachelor's degree at Chestnut Hill College. She earned a master's degree in physics at the University of Rhode Island, and while there she became a member of the sisters of the Holy Cross and Passion. Moving to New York City, she taught high school math and physics for many years at Xaverian High School in Bay Ridge. After earning a master’s degree in accounting at Pace University, Margaret moved to Philadelphia, eventually settling in Chestnut Hill. She enjoyed a distinguished career with the Internal Revenue Service, retiring in 2011.

She had many interests, including travel abroad, the Pennsylvania Ballet, activities at Cathedral Village, dragon boating, and the Catholic Women Convergence, a feminist organization that fights for women's rights. She was an active participant in its local affiliate Southeastern Pennsylvania Women's Ordination Conference. She loved everything Jane Austen and was a passionate member of the Jane Austen Society. Amidst all her activities, she consistently completed the Sunday New York Times Crossword Puzzle without difficulty! And all through her life, she loved the ocean, getting to the beach as often as possible and joining family vacations in Cape May. She was loved by her family, and she loved them right back without reserve. All her nieces and nephews knew her as their beloved Auntie M.

Margaret was predeceased by her parents and by two brothers, George N. Cooper Jr. of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and James L. Cooper of Puyallup, Washington. She is survived by a sister, Loretta C. Witt, and brother-in-law, Thomas, longtime residents of Germantown and now Center City Philadelphia; sisters-in-law Ann of Rhode Island and KumSon of Washington; and nieces and nephews Cecilia, Maureen, George III, Lorraine, Roseanne, Timothy, and Caroline in New England, Mary Clare in New Jersey, and Jonathan in New York; Debbie, James Jr., George IV, and Patricia in Washington; and John, Christopher, and Susan in New Haven, Albuquerque, and Berkeley, respectively.

A memorial service and celebration of Margaret's life with mass is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, at 11 o'clock at St. Vincent's Church on East Price Street in Germantown. After the service, her family, friends, and neighbors are invited to a reception that will take place from 1PM to 4PM at Cathedral Village's Cathedral Hall, 600 East Cathedral Road, Phila., PA 19128.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in honor of Margaret be made to Face-to-Face Germantown which offers vital services to neighbors in need facetofacegermantown.org or to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Women's Ordination Conference sepawoc.org.