Margaret Mary Savage, painter, aged 100, died at her home in Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, after a brief illness. Margaret Mary had lived in Acton for over 50 years and had recently moved to Littleton, Massachusetts. An accomplished painter, Margaret Mary was one of the founding artists at the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, MA, since it opened in 1983, where she specialized in oil and watercolor, landscapes, and abstracts. She treasured her time at the Umbrella where she spent much of her free time when not traveling with her husband and spending time with family and friends.

She taught at the Umbrella and at the Decordova Museum of Fine Arts in Lincoln. One of Margaret Mary's paintings is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. She also has paintings in the permanent collection at Decordova. She completed her B.A. in Painting from the Massachusetts College of Art. Education also included two years at the University of Iowa.

Margaret Mary was born on November 2, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Madeline Catherine Harmer and William Albert Palensky. She is the last surviving child of a family with six children.

She met her future husband, Alfred (Fred) Savage, in high school, and reconnected later after he returned from WWII. They were married on May 26, 1951, and had four children, Madeline, MaryBeth, Regina, and Michelle.

They spent 20 years as a career military family, with residences around the country including California, Washington, DC, Massachusetts, and Texas, but most memorable for them was France. They lived in Paris and Laon and together learned the language and became lifelong Francophiles. After Fred retired in 1992, they spent many summers in Paris and Provence. They also travelled extensively throughout other parts of Europe and visited their daughter when she lived in Japan and Hong Kong. Margaret and her daughter also visited China together.

Margaret Mary was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was an avid reader of literature and poetry, cook, and lifelong Democrat. She loved New England. She was a longstanding member of the Museum of Fine Arts and lifelong supporter of Native Americans.

Margaret is survived by her daughters Madeline, Regina, and Michelle; her sons-in-law Charles and Jon; her grandchildren Andrew, Dana, and Maddy; and her great-granddaughter Natalie.

Family and friends will gather for visiting hours on Tuesday, May 27th from 4 to 6 pm at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center.  Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 28th at 10 am in St. Bernard's Church at Holy Family Parish, 12 Monument Square, Concord Center.  Private burial will follow in St. Bernard's Cemetery, Concord.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NPRA).

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.