West Newbury - Margaret I. Dunlap (MacGillivray), age 84, a longtime resident of West Newbury, passed away peacefully on May 13, 2026, at Aspen Hill Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Margaret was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 22, 1941. She was raised in West Roxbury, where she attended Holy Cross Academy, and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Northeastern University.

Margaret had a lifelong love of music and was a dedicated clarinetist with the Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. A gifted and passionate quilter, Margaret found great joy in knitting and creating beautiful handmade pieces that reflected her creativity and care.

Margaret devoted many years of her life to teaching, touching the lives of countless students with her patience, wisdom, and compassion. She spent the majority of her career teaching fourth grade at the Dr. John C. Page School in West Newbury and also held other teaching roles there. Earlier in her career, she taught at the Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall School in Groveland. She took great pride in helping children learn and grow, and her gentle spirit left a lasting impression on all who knew her.

A devoted wife and loving mother of three, Margaret cherished time spent with her family. She created traditions and memories that will be treasured for generations. She also loved spending time in Wells, Maine, where summer days at Wells Beach with her family became some of her most treasured memories and the foundation for lasting family traditions.

Margaret was predeceased by her beloved husband, Paul, in 2024. She is survived by her sister, Kathi Simmons of Richardson, Texas; her brother, Ronald MacGillivray of Pinellas Park, Florida; her daughter, Irene Mahoney and her husband, Jack, of South Hampton, New Hampshire; her daughter, Jennifer Dunlap of Wells, Maine; and her son, Matthew Dunlap and his wife, Cheryl, of Franklin, Massachusetts. She is also survived by her five grandchildren: Andrew (Drew) and Sydney of South Hampton, New Hampshire; Savannah of Wells, Maine; and Amber and Joshua of Franklin, Massachusetts.

She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Family and friends are invited to attend a remembrance Mass at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 166 High Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts, on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A celebration of life will follow at the home of Irene and Jack Mahoney.