Margaret L. Slater Gifford Harkin

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(Feb. 5, 1925 - Aug. 23, 2014)

Margaret L. Slater died Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014, at the New Horizons Care Center in Lovell at the age of 89.

She was born on Feb. 5, 1925, to Roy Slater and Clara Trapp in Deerfield, Mo., the oldest of five children.

On Aug. 10, 1942, she married Arthur Gifford and to this union five children were born. Arthur and Margaret farmed and ranched on Crystal Creek, Deaver and Lovell for many years. When her husband Arthur became ill, she traveled to Denver to be trained to administer dialysis to him on a machine they had in their home for 13 years. They were married for 43 years.

Margaret worked as a waitress at Dude’s Café and cook at Trailways Café. She also worked at the Canning Factory, Western Sugar Company and the North Big Horn Senior Center.  

She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and taught Sunday school for many years.

Margaret married Marvin Harkin in 1986 and they lived in Frannie and Arizona until his death. After Marvin’s death, Margaret lived at Assisted Living in Lovell, Absaroka Senior Living in Cody and New Horizon’s Care Center in Lovell.  

She is survived by her five children Clara (Bobby) Tanner of Campo, Colo., Ed (Margie) Gifford of Byron, Vickie (Monte) Ellis of Laramie, Mary Joy of Parma, Ohio, and Bill (Kim) Gifford of Lovell. She is survived by 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.   

She is also survived by her sisters, Stella Hocken and Hazel Bjornestad of Powell, and her brother Steve (Donna) of Billings.  

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Berniece, and husbands Arthur and Marvin.  

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at the United Methodist Church in Lovell. Interment will be in the Lovell Cemetery.  

Haskell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Margaret’s name.

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