Margaret Nichols Fussell was called home to the Lord on October 30, 2015.

Margaret was a native of Saluda County and a resident of Aiken for 22 years. She graduated from Saluda High School and earned a B.A. Degree in Biology from Newberry College. She later earned a teaching certification and Master's Degree in Education from USC-Aiken. After several years in the classroom, Margaret proudly earned her National Teacher's Certification.

While being greatly involved with her own children and students, Margaret coordinated the annual vacation bible school at St. Paul's Lutheran for many years and later served as leader of Christian Education and on the church council.

She and Ted moved to Lake Murray in Prosperity, SC in 2012. Margaret continued her deep connection with Aiken, commuting the long distance to her teaching job at Aiken Middle School where she had taught gifted and talented students for several years and continuing to participate in her book club and visiting friends and former neighbors.

As Margaret's children grew older, she took the opportunity to travel and loved it, but always knew the experience had to be shared for the trip to be worth it. She and Ted traveled to Germany, Scotland, Ireland, the Norwegian countries, and most recently to Portugal. Margaret also traveled with friends, including a very memorable river cruise to Belgium with her dear friend, Marilyn. Her return stories always included details of dinner conversations with people she met along the way.

While Margaret loved to travel, she always opened her own home on her favorite day of the year. For over twenty years, Margaret hosted Thanksgiving for her extended family. In both her home in Aiken and after the move to Lake Murray, the center table was draped with a tablecloth covered with the family's handprints. Each new family member is handed a sharpie pen to trace their hand and add their name and the year. Three new members were to be added the tablecloth this year. In November, her family will celebrate Thanksgiving in Margaret's tradition, as she would have insisted.

After struggling with some medical issues, Margaret was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, Wegener's granulomatosis of the kidneys, in July. After a brief but aggressive treatment regime, this devoted wife and mother lost her battle at the Medical University of SC in Charleston, surrounded by her family.

Margaret is survived by her husband of 31 years, Ted, and their three children, Roy of Daytona Beach, FL married to Stephanie; Paul of Aiken, SC; and Charlotte also of Aiken, her parents, George and Alice Nichols of Saluda, and her four siblings: Thomas Nichols of Saluda, married to Becky Halyburton Nichols; Barbara Nichols Kyzer also of Saluda, married to Larry Kyzer; Mary Nichols Hoganson of Cartersville, GA, married to Ken Hoganson; and Richard Nichols of Columbia, married to Meredith Mona. She also leaves behind beloved in-laws, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends.

Services for Margaret will be at Corinth Lutheran Church off Denny Highway, Saluda County on November 3 at 11:00 with luncheon for all to follow. Visitation will be November 2 at 6 to 8 pm at Ramey Funeral Home in Saluda. For those incline to honor Margaret with a memorial, donations to the National Kidney Foundation are suggested.