Margaret Irene Vassar

Margaret Irene Vassar, age 93, of Hessel, Michigan, passed on February 5, 2019, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She was born December 5, 1925, in Hessel to Perry Causley and Mary Sabrina (Osogwin) Causley. Margaret lived nearly her entire life in the Les Cheneaux Islands. She attended Hessel and Cedarville schools and then technical school in Marquette, Michigan, for training to work on equipment repairs for the World War II War effort. Following the War, she returned to Hessel, married Eugene Vassar, and raised their family. Margaret also provided child care for many other family members. After Eugene died in 1966, she worked as a custodian for a doctor’s office and as a housekeeper for many summer residents. She raised her grandsons after her daughter, Julie passed on. Margaret was a member of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church and the Altar Society at the church. She was an Elder of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She served on the Language and Elder Committees of the Tribe and attended many Ojibway language conferences. She shared her wealth of information on many levels of her tribal community. Margaret was a very happy, kind and caring person, who smiled frequently. She liked to cook and can food, and go to bingo and the casino. She was an expert Cribbage player. Margaret is survived by one son, Arthur John (Terrie Milligan) Causley of Hessel; one daughter, Rita Anne Vassar of Sault Ste. Marie; grandchildren, Eugene (Rachel McKechnie) Vassar, Matt (Amber) Vassar, Brent (Lisa) Vassar, and John (Lisa) Clark; and great grandchildren, Maeci (Kelsie LaLonde) Vassar, Anthony James (Mandy Campbell) Vassar, Madison Vassar, Tommy Vassar, Taylor Vassar, Erin Vassar, Alyssa McKechnie, Shelby Clark, Tristan Clark, and Logan Clark. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Vassar; daughter, Julie Vassar; daughter-in-law, Kathy Causley; brothers, Wilfred, Joseph, Raymond, John, and Wilfred II Causley; and sisters, Frances Smith, Catherine LaPointe, and Anne Causley. Services will be held at Anaamianag Nopaming Tribal Center, 3355 N. 3 Mile Road in Hessel. Visitation will begin Sunday, February 10 at 2:00 P.M. and continue through Tuesday, February 12, at 11:00 A.M. when Brother John Hascall will conduct her funeral service. Burial will be at Italian Maplewood Cemetery in Clark Township, Michigan, in the spring.

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Margaret Irene Vassar

December 5, 1925 - February 5, 2019