Obituary

Amy Redpath McMillen Margolis passed away on December 2, 2020. Born April 1, 1941, in Kalamazoo Michigan, in her youth Amy was a violist in the Kalamazoo Symphony. Subsequent to graduating from Kalamazoo Central Amy majored in music at Michigan State where she played in the Orchestra and The State Singers. There she met Jeff Margolis and they married in December of 1962.  Amy went on to teach music in Battle Creek and not long thereafter moved to New England and taught in Amherst, Massachusetts.

In 1970 Amy altered her career path when the family settled in the Western Washington where they originated Everybody’s Store in Van Zandt, the region’s first organic and natural grocery featuring exotic and back to the earth products. Patrons in the store could regularly hear Amy practicing violin in the rear of the store as she prepared for her decades of performance with the Whatcom Symphony and the Sunrise Quartet.

While raising their two daughters, Elea and Beth, the family loved hiking and canoeing in the Cascades. Amy was an avid gardener and was oftentimes consulted about herbal healing. She and Jeff, civic activists, took responsibility for shepherding the Van Zandt Community Hall.  Amy was a founder of the Southfork Valley Community Association along with radio station KAVZ 102.5 LpFm.  Amy was instrumental in organizing the seminal Mt. Baker Watershed Protection Association in the early 80’s as well as initiating the Josh VanderYacht Memorial Park in Van Zandt. For over half a century Amy has been a calm peaceful loving presence that sustained family and community growth. Amy is survived by; her husband Jeff, daughters Beth Margolis, Elea Plotkin, son-in-law Dr. Andrew Plotkin and grandchildren Zachary and Natalie, brother Scott Peterson, brother-in-law John Stevens and sister-in-law Maida Buckley. In her at home convalescence Amy was sustained by the endearing staff of Whatcom Hospice, her lifetime Kalamazoo girlfriends Diane Smith, Paula Domine and Jean Van Haaften-Di Marino, along with Bellingham’s Beth Israel Synagogue, dear Whatcom County friends and caretakers: Sue Aguirre, Maureen Cleveland, Wain Harrison, Virginia Naef, Lynn Russell,  Laurie Riskin Snow, Sandy Stork and Jonni Walker.

Memorial gifts may be made to Planned Parenthood.