Obituary of Margaret K von der Linde
Margaret Kent von der Linde of Fellowship Village in Basking Ridge, NJ, formerly of Madison, NJ, passed away on November 28, 2024. She was 93 years old.
Known for her candor, intelligence, and grace, Margie’s family will also remember her favorite admonition to always “remember who you are and what you represent,” even if you aren’t quite sure what that may be.
Born in Berkeley, California, Margie was the eldest child of Elizabeth Trowbridge and Edward Angle Kent. She attended The Anna Head School in Berkeley and Smith College, receiving an AB degree in 1952. Returning to Berkeley after graduation, Margie continued her studies at UC Berkeley while working in San Francisco.
In 1953 she met Gert von der Linde, who was in the U.S. from his native Germany on a year-long study tour under the auspices of the State Department. Married in 1954, the couple lived in Germany for almost two years where Margie worked for Radio Free Europe while her husband completed studies at the University of Munich. After Gert completed his PhD work at UC Berkeley, the young family first moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and then to Los Altos, California, eventually making Madison their home in 1968.
Throughout her life, Margie was actively involved in numerous organizations. In Madison, while she first became a Cub Scout Den Mother, she also took on a more impactful role working with the Madison League of Women Voters, eventually becoming President. As President, Margie was vocal on several state and local issues and worked to bring candidate and issue forums to the community. Later, she became involved in Madison’s municipal government, serving on the Planning Board for many years as well as on the Environmental Commission. Margie was a member of the Fortnightly Club for almost three decades as well.
An avid tennis player who was always willing to fill in as a fourth, she also enjoyed skiing, swimming, hiking on her family’s property near Sonora in the Sierra Nevada foothills (especially during wildflower season), and reading. Books and magazines were scattered throughout her house, but if you asked what Margie favored, she’d tell you paperbacks because she had no qualms about getting them wet while reading them when she took a shower.
In 2007, Margie and Gert moved to Fellowship Village in Basking Ridge where she continued to be as involved as she had been in Madison, bringing old friendships with her while making many new ones.
In everything she did, Margie made fast and loyal friends through her generous and caring spirit and genuine concern for others. She loved and was dearly loved by all her family and will be greatly missed.
Margie is survived by Peter and his wife Missy Hammer and his children Eric (Alexa Bourke), Laura and Sarah (Greg Decker); Edward and his wife Susanne (Deming) and their children Alex (Kim Reustle), Jason and Katie, as well as two great granddaughters, Daphne and Farrah; and special family friend John Ream and his wife Marybeth and their children Holly (Justin Bennett) and Sean. She is also survived by her brother Edward A. Kent and her nieces and nephews Thomas Drohan (Gayle), Sabra Drohan, Michele Drohan, Dan Drohan (Cybelle) and Lisa Kent Martin. Gert, her husband of 61 years, predeceased her in 2015, her sister Sabra Drohan in 2010, her grandson Kevin in 2023, and her sister-in-law Carol in 2023.
Services will be private. For further information, or to leave an online condolence message please visit www.gcfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Residents Council of Fellowship Village (c/o Fellowship Village, 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920); the Basking Ridge Fire Company #1 (P.O. Box 326, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, www.brfco.com); or the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ, 07960.