Margaret Glaser
April 23, 1925 ~ January 2, 2022
Margaret Doran Glaser - 96
Registered Nurse, Pioneer Stewardess Margaret Doran Glaser, a registered nurse who was one of the first trans-Atlantic airline stewardesses and a long-time resident ofCenterport, Lake Ronkonkoma, and Sunrise Assisted Living in Smithtown, has died of natural causes at the age of 96. An avid music lover of Irish and Dutch lineage, she was born Margaret Doran Gildersleeve in New York, in 1925, and grew up on the North Fork of Long Island where she attended Mattituck High School and played the glockenspiel in the marching band. Eschewing the prospect of becoming a local telephone operator, her adventurous spirit and compassionate nature led Margaret to opt for nursing instead and she earned her RN certification at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica, Queens.At the outbreak of World War II Margaret was among the first women to enlist in the Women’s Army Corp and became a WAC nurse tending to wounded GIs returning from the battlefields of Europe. After the war, she leapt at the chance to become one of the first trans-Atlantic stewardesses when she was hired by American Overseas Airlines which required their stewardesses to be RNs. This was the pioneering era of long, unpressurized, low altitude DC-4 propeller plane flights over the stormy North Atlantic that were fraught with turbulence and lots of air-sick passengers. While flying with AOA she met her future husband, Edwin H Glaser, a former US Army Air Force B-17 bomber pilot who would go on to have a 33-year career as an international airline captain with Pan American World Airways. After she left the airlines to get married and settled in the post-war Levittown housing development for four years, Margaret and her husband moved to the wooded hills of Centerport on the North Shore where they built a hi-ranch home and raised three children. Later in life she moved to an apartment complex in Lake Ronkonkoma to be closer to her grandchildren and spent the final decade of her life as a cherished 10-year resident at Sunrise Assisted Living in Smithtown. Margaret is survived by her son James, son John, beloved daughter and loving care-giver Marianne, daughterin-law Susan, son-in-law Ulrich, granddaughter Christine, grandson Thomas, and great granddaughter Lucy Rae. Services will be held at Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home in Smithtown on Wednesday, January 5th,from 2-4pm and 7 to 9pm, and she will be interred on Thursday, January 6th at her husband’s site in Calverton National Cemetery in Riverhead, NY
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Heartfelt condolences to the family of Margaret Glaser on the loss of your mother, your grandmother, your friend, etc. What a privilege to live such a long life and for you to have such memories of her. May God and the angels be there to greet her and escort her to her heavenly reward. And may God give you strength to move forward without her. Especially to you Marianne – what a dutiful daughter you have been, always watching out for her. You were her angel on earth and she knew it!
Jim, John and Marianne,
So very sorry to hear about your Mom’s passing. What a beautiful woman she was both inside and out. I have many wonderful memories of our family get togethers over the years. So many fun times! She will be missed but hopefully we will all reunite in heaven one day and be with each other in eternity!
Love you all,
Rosemary
My heartfelt condolences to Marianne and your family. My prayers are with you and your family.
Marianne: My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family. I offer you my thoughts, prayers and well-wishes during this very sad time in your life.
Claudia
Marianne,
I am so sorry to hear of mom’s passing. She lived a long life and undoubtedly your nursing skills contributed to that long life. May you find comfort in the memories you shared. Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
Liz Flood
As I viewed All the photos, the wonderful memories came flooding back, along with some misty-eyed sorrow at this ending. Your mother was so accomplished, capable, vibrant, fun, and, of course beautiful! I am proudly sharing all with my special Della. My heart and condolences are with you all! John R, Glaser
Aunt Margie will always be remembered for her sweet smile and amazing stories she would share during our visits on Long Island an when she came to Florida to see my dad ( cousin ) Claude Terpening , and mom , Jean .
I will always remember as a child how I thought her and Aunt Hope looked alike just like my grandmother ( Helen ) and her mother ( Aunt Mary ) who were real twins . My dad and uncle Georgie too .
Although once out of nursing school myself , I moved away from Long Island , it was the return trips to Long Island that remain special to me and now my daughters. I remember Meeting Marianne w Aunt Margie on one of my visits and know first hand how bitter sweet it is to lose your parent, even after they’ve lived “ a nice long life” – my dad passed last year just shy of 92 years . So let me take this opportunity to send tons of love and support to Marianne and all my extended family as we pray for the angels to guide Aunt Margie to meet her family members in heaven! What a Ceili ( Irish party w music and dancing ) they will be having when she gets there!
I’m at my mom’s and have shared the beautiful remembrance video w her .
We love you – stay safe and know you all are in our thoughts and prayers ! Xoxo Chris Terpening Whelan
John – We extend our sincere condolences in the loss of your mom. She was such a lovely lady. To our children she was Grandma Marge, an extension of our family. May beautiful memories bring a smile as she will always be in your heart.
Dear Jimmi, John, and Marianne We are holding you all close to our hearts on the death on your beloved Mother. We are sending you our love and prayers. God called your Mother home; Heaven needed an angel to bring laughter. She brought much joy and her Irish wisdom growing up as children. I will always remember fondly her beautiful singing voice, yummy roast beef dinners and her strength and encouragement. With Love Nikko, David and Hiroko