Margo Litherland, formerly of Oak Harbor, died on May 8, 2016, at her new home in Banning, Calif. She was 98.

Margo was born in Sinclairville, N.Y., one of the five children of Walter and Evalena Minckler. She was Marjorie then but she soon left both her name and her home town behind in her life-long search for a wider world of experience and adventure.

Her oldest child, Susan, was born in Cambridge, Mass. She then spent several years in the college town of Alfred, N.Y., where her other two daughters, Pamela and Deborah, were born.

She moved her family to Long Island in 1953 and, along with two male colleagues, started her own company as a manufacture’s representative. They had offices in New York City’s famous Flat Iron Building. It was a “Mad Men” lifestyle!

In 1960 she moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she learned how to speak Spanish, sell Volkswagens and mutual funds, and embrace life in the Caribbean.

After a spell in England, replete with a garden and tea in the afternoon, she went to Estepona, Spain, and switched to selling time shares.

It was here that she also embarked on an entirely new career path, much to the astonishment of her grandchildren as well as the delight of her audiences, as a chanteuse. Her signature song was “Frankie And Johnny” but she knew all the golden oldies.

In 1977, she abandoned Europe and settled into her beautiful home in Oak Harbor, close to her nephew Sherwood Minckler. She joined the Yacht Club, made many, many new friends and eventually and happily met her longtime companion, Colonel George Hammett, of Coupeville.

Besides being a saleswoman par excellence and having a song for every occasion, Margo was a fabulous cook.

She went to bed planning what to make for breakfast, could concoct a gourmet meal from whatever you might have kicking around in the refrigerator, and was not afraid to put anything in an omelet. She loved a party and was hostess to many a terrific gathering.

Margot had four wonderful grandchildren (Jacob, Jennifer, Robyn and Aaron), all of whom have enjoyed many visits to Whidbey over the years, and seven beautiful great-grandchildren, to whom she was Nana Margo.

Besides Sherwood she was the aunt of several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews, who were accustomed to think of her as their Auntie Mame. Although she was often urged to do so, she never got around to writing the book of her life and times, but it would have made quite a read.

Margo and George moved to his other home in Palm Desert, Calif., a few years ago in search of warmer weather, but she never forgot her Whidbey friends. We’re certain she would’ve known just the right song to sing to say good-bye.

We wish we could hear her singing it now! So here’s to Margo.