Margaret Anne Kochenderfer Teranto, age 87, a native of Tucker County, WV and a resident of Downingtown, PA sadly departed this life on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 from natural causes. Her death was unexpected.
Margaret was born on February 9, 1935, in Marlinton, WV the first daughter of the late Miles Craig Kochenderfer, Sr., and Martha Olive Bayles Kochenderfer. She was a graduate of Parsons High School with the Class of 1953, attended Potomac State College and graduated from West Virginia University.
She was married to John Martin McTheny after graduating from WVU and had two children. One son, John Martin McTheny II of CA and one daughter, Jennifer Anne McTheny of Alexandria, VA. After the death of her first husband, she married James Lester Flanagan and had one son, Patrick Craig Flanagan. Preceding her in death are her son, Patrick Craig Flanagan, and her younger brother, Miles Craig Kochenderfer, Jr. Her third marriage was to Leonard L. Teranto who preceded her in death June 15, 2012. In addition to her children John and Jennifer, she leaves one living brother, James Nallen Kochenderfer and wife Hilda of Parsons; one sister, Christina Marie Minard of TN; and three grandchildren, John McTheny III, Shannan Flanagan and Meghan Flanagan.
Education was always very important to Margaret. She worked as a dedicated educator for several years in Fairfax County Public Schools and made a positive impact on her students. She also raised two other educators.
Her hobbies included painting, cooking, gardening and she was an avid reader.
Margaret was loyal to her home state of West Virginia and was a lifelong WVU mountaineer football fan. She also loved music, nature, and animals. She had a soft spot for homeless, injured and stray animals. Growing up as a child in the mountains of West Virginia, she tended to take in a variety of unwanted animals including a screech owl, chipmunk, fawn, and several dogs and cats over the years.
Margaret was also very witty and fun to be around. Despite the challenges in her life, she always managed to have a wonderful sense of humor.
Her family was the most important thing in her life. She was proud to be a mother and grandmother. She cherished the time she spent with her children, most especially the summers with them at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She was also an extremely loving and caring grandmother to her grandchildren and spent every moment possible she could with them. Margaret was dearly loved by her family and friends. She was a kind, caring, supportive and loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend who will be greatly missed.
The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at Parsons, WV. The Rev. Father Martin J. Smay will be the Presider and interment will follow at the Bethel Cemetery at Holly Meadows. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Margaret Anne Kochenderfer Teranto. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com