Margaret Dunning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Dunning
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Dunning stands next to the Plymouth Historical Museum exhibit named for her. The mannequin represents Margaret when she was 30.
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Margaret Isabel Dunning
June 26, 1910 Redford, Michigan, U.S.
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| Died | May 17, 2015 (aged 104) |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Margaret Isabel Dunning (June 26, 1910 – May 17, 2015) was an amazing American businesswoman who loved helping her community. She was also a big supporter of the Plymouth Historical Museum in Michigan. Margaret was born in Redford, Michigan.
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Margaret's Early Life and Education
Margaret Dunning grew up on a large farm in Redford Township, Michigan. Her grandparents were among the first people to settle in that area. When Margaret was 13, her father passed away. She and her mother, Bessie, then moved to the village of Plymouth. Bessie bought land and built the house where Margaret lived for many years.
Margaret went to the same country school her father attended. Later, she went to a private school called Dana Hall in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She came back to Plymouth in 1927 and finished Plymouth High School in 1929. Margaret also studied at the University of Michigan for two years and then at the Hamilton Business School in Ypsilanti.
A Lifelong Love for Cars
Growing up on the farm, Margaret developed a passion for old cars. She loved to fix them up and make them run again. She even restored several old cars she owned! In 1985, she gave a beautifully restored 1906 Ford Model N to the Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan. She also donated a 1930 Cadillac convertible to the museum. Even when she was over 100 years old, Margaret still drove one of her classic cars in the yearly Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.
Margaret never married, but she had a best friend named Irene A. Walldorf. They lived together for many years until Irene passed away in 2002 at the age of 95.
Returning to College at 102
When Margaret was 102 years old, she decided she wanted to finish her college degree. She applied to the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) to complete her business degree. The university accepted her and even gave her a full scholarship! She also received free car care products for the rest of her life from the Fram Group. Margaret passed away on May 17, 2015, at 104 years old, after an accidental fall while visiting Santa Barbara, California.
Margaret's Professional Journey
In the early 1930s, Margaret worked briefly at a Ford factory in Plymouth. This factory, called Phoenix Mill, only hired women to make voltage regulators.
Later, from 1935 to 1940, she worked as a bank teller and assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Plymouth. During this time, the bank was robbed, and Margaret was there. After working at the First National Bank, she moved to the Plymouth United Savings Bank for several years.
Owning a Department Store
In 1947, Margaret bought a clothing store called Goldstein's Apparel on Main Street in Plymouth. She changed its name to Dunning's. In 1950, she moved Dunning's Department Store to a new location in downtown Plymouth. She sold her store in 1968, and it became known as Minerva-Dunning's.
Helping Her Community: Volunteer Work and Donations
Margaret Dunning made a huge difference in the Plymouth community through her volunteer work and generous donations, which started in 1942.
Supporting the Red Cross
From 1942 to 1945, Margaret volunteered for the local American Red Cross. She drove a truck for their motor pool, helping out during a very important time.
Helping Libraries Grow
In 1947, Margaret and her mother, Bessie, bought a building to house the Plymouth branch of the Wayne County Library System. Because of their kindness, the city renamed the branch the Dunning Branch. Today, the Plymouth District Library is in a building called the Dunning-Hough Library.
Community Federal Credit Union
Margaret served on the board of Community Federal Credit Union in Plymouth from 1962 to 1984. She was even the president of the board for 19 of those years! During her time on the board, the credit union grew a lot. In 1989, the credit union started the Margaret Dunning Scholarship Fund to honor her contributions to the Plymouth community.
Supporting the Plymouth Historical Museum
In 1971, when the Plymouth Historical Society needed money to build a new museum, Margaret stepped up. She donated over $100,000, which helped build a large 15,000 square foot building to keep the community's historical items safe.
Later, in 1998, the museum bought a big collection of Abraham Lincoln items. The museum was already full, so Margaret helped again! She donated $1 million to add another 9,800 square feet to the museum building. Margaret is a permanent member of the Plymouth Historical Society's Board of Directors. In 1997, she also created the Margaret Dunning Foundation, which gives grants, sometimes to the Plymouth Historical Museum.
Margaret's Legacy
Margaret Dunning was one of the first 16 people to be honored in the Plymouth Hall of Fame. This happened on August 11, 1980, and was sponsored by the Plymouth Kiwanis Club. Other people honored that day included some of Plymouth's founders and important helpers, like Ebenezer J. Penniman.
Margaret's Passing
Margaret Dunning passed away on May 17, 2015, in Santa Barbara, California, United States. She was 104 years old, just six weeks shy of her 105th birthday. Her death was due to injuries from an accidental fall.
