MARGARET LILLY

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Margaret Lilly, age 97, of Jacksonville, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at her residence in Jacksonville.

She was born and raised in London, England, and worked as a seamstress for the British Air Corps as a member of the WAC. She met her husband-to-be, James A. Lilly, who was a U.S. Army soldier stationed in England, during World War II. The couple met in Cornwall, England, and after, a brief courtship, married on Sept. 15, 1943. Margaret came to the U.S. with James after the war and spent many years following her husband's career in the Air Force, moving frequently to new duty posts around the country while raising her family of four children. In 1968, she settled in Tampa, Florida, after James retired from the Air Force. She moved to Sumter in the mid 1990's after her husband passed away and had been residing in Jacksonville since April 2014. She was a longtime member of the Church of England.

She is survived by her daughters, Denise Crawford of Des Moines, Iowa, Lorraine Leali of St. Augustine, Florida, and Maureen Hankins and husband, Jake, of Jacksonville Beach, Florida; a son, James R. Lilly and his wife, Cheryl, of Port Charlotte, Florida; eight grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Private services will be held.

St. Johns Family Funeral Home of St. Augustine is in charge of arrangements.