Margaret S. Clinger

MILTON - Margaret (Marnie) S. Clinger, died at the age of 98 on Wednesday, March 03, 2010. She was born on October 22, 1911 in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late Harry Orton and Lulu Beatrice (Roeder) Sharpless. She graduated from Catawissa High School in 1929 and from Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia in 1933, where she remained as a staff nurse in the Obstetrical Department for 10 years. In 1944, she accepted a position in the state of Washington for the DuPont Corporation where she was employed as a staff nurse in Hanford Hospital and later as Assistant Director of Nursing at Richland Hospital. Both communities were connected with the Manhattan Project. In 1948, she left Washington and returned to Philadelphia to enter the University of Pennsylvania and obtained her degree in nursing. Following her graduation in 1950, she accepted the position of Director of Nursing at Geisinger Medical Center. In 1953, she married the late Daniel Clinger III, resigned her position and moved to Milton. She maintained her interest in Geisinger through the Women's Auxiliary and the Geisinger Foundation throughout her life. In addition, she further carried out her interest in health care, which was reflected in her volunteer and philanthropic activities in her community, particularly in being one of the founders of the Sun Home Health Services Agency. Among her other interests were the Milton Garden Club, the International Garden Clubs and the Milton Historical Society. One of her greatest joys was designing her home with her husband and enjoying the wildlife living on the property, particularly the wild birds that she fed and watched from her kitchen window. She and her husband shared a love of traveling, entertaining friends, Penn State football and their annual boating and fishing trip to Canada. She is survived by her step-son, Daniel James Clinger and his wife, Andree of Milton; her step-granddaughter, Danielle and her husband, Bill Phillips and their four children: Sage,Taen, Larissa and Sephora of Savannah, GA; her brother, Frank (Ben) Sharpless of Bradenton, FL and 4 nieces: Molly (Christopher) Alikakos, Bonnie (Pete) Scott, Jane Cosner, Leslie (Scott) Bradley. The funeral service will be held 11:00 A.M., Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the Dale E. Ranck Funeral Service, 125 N. Front Street, Milton with Rev. Douglas J. Seagle officiating. Friends and relatives will be received at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Harmony Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Sun Home Health Services, Inc., 61 Duke Street, Northumberland, PA 17857 or Geisinger Foundation, 100 N. Academy Avenue, Danville, PA 17822-4020.