Magnhild Scarborough of Montauk dies, services announced

Magnhild Scarborough

Magnhild Scarborough, a resident of Montauk for more than 40 years, died at her home on August 6 from complications related to heart disease. She was 84.

Born May 4, 1926, in Bergen, Norway, she was the second of four daughters of Brita Tveit and Johannes Nygard. Her childhood was spent on a farm on Stord, an island off the west coast of Norway, where her family raised sheep and kept cows and chickens. While she was growing up, the farm had no running water, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. In addition, there were no roads on the island, so all travel was either on foot or by boat.

In her later years, she often marveled at how much easier life was now than when her parents were alive. Her family had to haul water for all their daily needs and chop firewood for heating and cooking. She also recalled how little entertainment there had been on the farm. She and her sister bought their parents a radio when they were older, and she recalled how they would sit one on either side of the radio listening to the sermon on Sundays. Her father, a farmer, especially liked to hear the weather forecast. She herself loved to watch television in her later years, saying that it brought the world into her living room.

She attended Bortveit School on Stord. After World War II, she worked in Bergen at an asylum for the mentally ill. Noticing that the nurses were treated better, she determined to become one herself. Initially taking correspondence courses, she put herself through nursing school in Stavanger, Norway, and later worked as a registered nurse at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen.

In 1961, she married Allan Scarborough of Fana, Norway. In 1962, they had their first child and emigrated to the United States when the baby was six weeks old. A year later, a second child was born. Although the family moved back and forth between Norway and the United States for several years, in 1969 they returned to Montauk and she remained there for the rest of her life.

Mrs. Scarborough worked as a private nurse in Montauk until her retirement in 1991. She loved her work as a nurse and, according to family, became very fond of each of her patients, as well as their families. During the early years of her retirement, she loved to attend local yard sales and was active in the Montauk Community Church, especially the rummage sale, and the Montauk Garden Club. In later years, she frequently attended the Nutrition Center.

She loved gardening and the flowers that she grew during the summertime in Montauk. She also loved traveling with her family. She visited England, France and Germany, and took transatlantic voyages on the Queen Elizabeth II and the SS France, among others. After retirement, she enjoyed trips to Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, San Diego, and Santa Monica, California, as well as several trips to England and annual trips back to Norway.

Another favorite activity was watching from Gosman’s Dock the boats coming in and out of Montauk harbor, because it reminded her of the boats she would watch sailing by on the fjord while growing up in Norway.

She is survived by two daughters, Laura Scarborough of Queens and Bonnie Scarborough of Manhattan; a sister, Borgny Steffensen of Bergen, Norway; a son-in-law, Caleb Scharf; and two granddaughters. Her husband predeceased her in January 2005.

A service was held on August 14 at Montauk Community Church. Interment followed at Fort Hill Cemetery in Montauk. Arrangements were under the direction of Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton.