December 2008
LUGOFF, S.C. — Memorial services for Margot Mary Rochester, 72, were held on Friday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Riverbank Zoo Botanical Garden or Palmetto Health Hospice.
Mrs. Rochester died Tuesday, Oct. 28,2008. Born in Los Angeles, Calif., she was the daughter of the late Thomas McAuliffe and Margot Peyser McAuliffe. A graduate of Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan. Margot earned her master’s degree from the University of South Carolina and later earned her Ph.D. in reading from the University of South Carolina as well. She retired from Lugoff-Elgin High School after 28 years of teaching English and chairing the English Department.
Mrs. Rochester authored the “Earthly Delights” and “Down to Earth” gardening books. She was a freelance writer with regular columns in The State newspaper and Chronicle-Independent. Margot was a Master Gardener and enjoyedpeaking about gardening around the country. Margo and her husband, Dick, also owned a home on Ocracoke for many years. She was active in the Ocracoke community and wrote a gardening column and other feature stories for The Island Breeze for more than a dozen years.
Margot was a member of Grace Episcopal Church. Surviving are her husband of 52 years, Richard James Rochester; children, Thomas “Tom” R. (Cindy) Rochester ofCornelius, N.C., and Dan (Bonnie) Rochester of Wilmington, N.C.; grandchildren, Haley Rochester, Drew Rochester, Gray Rochester, Morgan Rochester and Margot Rochester.
