Margaret Placeway, 94, of Lapeer, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
She was born May 21, 1925, in Monroe, MI, to Rev. Stephen T. and Charlotte Dunk. She graduated from Grand Blanc High School in 1944. She attended Hillsdale College, earning her bachelor’s degree in Music Vocal Performance in 1948. While at Hillsdale, Margaret was a regular soloist with the South Bend, IN, Symphony, along with other musical groups in Michigan and Ohio. In 1950, Margaret earned her Master’s in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. At Westminster, Margaret was a member of the prestigious Westminster Choir–the resident choir with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. During this time, she sang under conductors Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski and Bruno Walter. Margaret performed with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra when Albert Einstein was a member of the violin section! Margaret taught voice at Heidelberg College, OH, before becoming minister of music at First Presbyterian Church of Lapeer in 1957, until her retirement in 1984. She was a member of the Flint Symphonic Chorus, the Carolyn Mauby Choir, the Flint Festival Chorus as well as the Flint
Mastersingers Choral. Margaret was a guest conductor of the Flint Mastersingers and the Flint Methodist Church and was on the faculty of The Flint Institute of Music as a voice instructor from 1984 until 2007.
Margaret will be remembered for her conducting of many sing-alongs of “Messiah” by G.F. Handel at First Presbyterian Church of Lapeer, as well as other churches in Lapeer and Flint. She was a recitalist and member of the Flint St. Cecelia Society, and a member of both Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority and the International PEO Sisterhood of the Lapeer Chapter DX.
She is survived by her daughter, Pamela Placeway Meyer (Eric); son, Dr. Scott Marshall Placeway (Darlene); grandchildren, Dr. Andrew Meyer (Elizabeth), Bronwyn Larsen (Tim), 2nd Lt Trevor Placeway (USMC)(Tanis), Elizabeth Placeway, Stephen Placeway; great-grandchildren, Henry, John, Georgia and Brooke; and many beloved nieces, nephews and friends.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Harold Placeway; sisters, Norma Gillings and Eunice Relyea; and brothers, Frank and Stephen Dunk.
In lieu of flowers, a music education scholarship fund is being established in Margaret’s name with specific details to follow.
A memorial service will be held on July 27 at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Lapeer, 433 N Calhoun Street.
Funeral arrangements made by Muir Brothers Funeral Home – Lapeer
Our family serving yours for Generations www.MuirBrothersLapeer.com 810-664-8111
