Mostly Cloudy, 70° F
(May 30, 1926 - Feb. 25, 2013)
Margaret H. Corbridge died unexpectedly in Tucson, Ariz., while traveling to visit family. She was 86.
She was born May 30, 1926 in San Jose, Calif., to Margaret I. (Ashley) and Robert “Elmer” Dempster. In 1927 the family moved to Wisconsin and then moved to Cody in 1929 at the start of the Great Depression where they remained.
She had two younger siblings, Robert Dempster and Shirley (Dempster) Norman, who preceded her in death.
On Sept. 10, 1949 she married James R. Corbridge in Cody. They were married for 48 years until James’ death on Feb. 6, 1997.
Margaret graduated from high school in Cody in 1944. She then attended the University of Wyoming graduating with her bachelor’s degree in medical technology in 1948. She later obtained her master’s degree in microbiology in 1972. While in college, Margaret had various part-time jobs as an office worker for Hoyt Hall, a wool tech for Wool Records and a lab assistant in the chemistry department.
Her professional career started as a medical technologist working to monitor the employees who worked at the Hanford Site in connection with the Manhattan Project in Richland, Wash. After her marriage, Jim and Margaret moved to Cheyenne, where she worked in the hospital laboratory.
In the late 1950s they moved to Laramie and Margaret worked briefly for the Medical Group of physicians before starting her career at the University of Wyoming in 1959. She started as an instructor for ag/biochemistry, later as an instructor for med tech and finally retiring as an assistant professor in med tech in 1989.
Margaret was involved in many organizations from Camp Fire Girls when her kids were young to Zonta, The Laramie Women’s Club, The Wyoming Territorial Park Historical Association, Albany County Genealogical Society, PEO Chapter AX, Wyoming State Historical Society and the Laramie Lyceum. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and a 65-year member of the KD Sorority.
During the summer months, Margaret would spend her weekends at her mountain cabin. She liked to watch the birds and wildlife, visit friends and read. As it got more difficult for her to walk, she took to riding her ATV to keep up on the happenings of the White Rock Estates community. She enjoyed having company and always had a bed and a meal for her visitors. She will be missed by many people whom she touched during her lifetime.
Margaret is survived by her two children, Kay (Rick) Soderberg of Laramie, Mark (Tish) Corbridge also of Laramie, and four grandsons. She was very proud of her four grandsons, Dean Soderberg (Denver), Evan Soderberg (Laramie), Chase Corbridge (Loveland) and Dusty Corbridge (Laramie), and she faithfully attended the school functions, graduations, soccer games and anything else they had going on.
A memorial service is planned for Friday, March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home in Laramie. An informal luncheon and get-together for her friends and family is planned for Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 1 p.m. to be held at the Alice Hardy Stevens Center.
Services are under the direction of Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home. To send condolences or to sign the online guestbook, visit www.montgomerystryker.com/.
