Marguerite “Megan” Hutchins

Marguerite “Megan” Hutchins of Estero, FL passed away peacefully at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Marie and John Foley of Santa Barbara, on January 4, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. Megan was born in Philadelphia to Marguerite and Gibson LaFoy and grew up in Cleveland, Atlanta and Carrollton, GA. After graduating from Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, she began her teaching career and married John Hutchins in Fullerton, CA. She was the mother of two sons, John and David.

Megan taught in Charlotte, NC and Bonita Springs, FL for thirty-five years, during which she earned an EdD from Nova University. She was most proud of introducing her 4th and 5th grade students to environmental issues and local history, and taking them on field trips. Upon retirement, she earned two further degrees, an MA in Pastoral Theology and an MA for teaching ESL. Megan then served in various ministries at Our Lady of Light Church in Estero and taught ESL courses at Florida Gulf Coast University.

In the summers, Megan loved to travel, cruising to Alaska and the Panama Canal and touring through Peru, Bolivia, China, Kenya and Papua New Guinea. Always looking for adventure, she bought a recreational van and toured various regions of the US with her two poodles. She especially enjoyed visiting Native American reservations, Amish country, civil rights monuments and national parks. While living in Bonita Springs and later Estero, she was vitally active in church reform, local environmental issues and social justice causes, especially advocating for the rights of the Immokalee farm workers.

Preceded in death by her son John, she is survived by her son David and his wife Marsha, sister Marie and brother-in-law John, daughter-in-law Barbara and grandchildren Kris and Kimberly, as well as step-grand children Rusty and Dana, niece Kathleen and nephews Michael, Brian and Stephen. A Memorial Mass will be held in Estero on January 21st. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Coalition of Immakolee Workers, PO Box 683, Immakolee, FL 34143 or Mother of God House of Prayer, 17880 Cypress Creek Road, Alva FL 33920

Megan Hutchins was a founding member of SW Florida CTA in 2005. She was the first treasurer and remained a board member until her death. Megan served in various ministries at Our Lady of Light Church in Estero and taught ESL at Florida Gulf Coast University. Megan was most devoted to environmental causes and to the Immokalee Farm Workers. She initiated most of SW Florida CTA involvement in marches and letter writing for the extra penny per pound for tomato pickers, and was mostly responsible for CTA attendance at special events in Immokalee. Long after she suffered the effects of cancer, Megan took part in her last demonstration for The Coalition of Immokalee Workers.(see photo, Megan is on the left.) Megan was also most helpful at arranging for breakfasts and lunches on guest speaker days. SW Florida Call to Action members are grateful for all that Megan contributed to our efforts for peace and justice.