Margaret Santacroce of Sag Harbor Dies January 30

Margaret Santacroce of Sag Harbor died on January 30 at South Shore Hospital in Bay Shore, with her children at her side. She was 91.

She was born on August 23, 1931, to Herbert and Hilda Hildreth (Wagner) of Sag Harbor.

She attended the Bridgehampton School for a short time before attending and graduating from Pierson High School in 1949. She was the last survivor of that graduating class. She also attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for retailing and graduated in 1952.

She returned to Sag Harbor to work for the phone company, which was located at the intersection of Church and Union streets, worked as a waitress in the Hunting Inn in East Hampton and Sal and Joe’s on Main Street in Sag Harbor, where Wölffer Kitchen is now.

She married Joseph Santacroce of Sag Harbor.

She was a stay at home wife and mother. She was a skilled seamstress, doing alterations for the former Basailes clothing store on Washington Street and the Whalers Cleaners on Main Street, and many private clients.

She made her daughter’s wedding dress, her daughter-in-law’s wedding dress and her own dress to wear to the wedding of her son and daughter-in-law. She made many clothes for her children and her grandchildren as well.

She enjoyed baking and cooking all year, but had special enjoyment during the holiday seasons, making cookies and fudge.

She was a long time member of the First Presbyterian (Old Whalers’) Church. Her father can be seen in a photograph with another man at the top of the church steeple waving.

She was also an original board member of the Sag Harbor Youth Center.

She loved animals and would help any injured cat, bird or squirrel that might come to the house. She had a number of feral cats that she took in over the years, some found homes, but most stayed with her.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her two children, Joe of Sag Harbor and Marla of Center Moriches; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

In her memory, the family suggests donations to the following: First Presbyterian (Old Whalers’) Church, P.O. Box 1241, Sag Harbor, NY 11963; ARF of The Hamptons, 124 Daniels Hole Road, East Hampton, NY 11937; Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, 228 West Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays, NY 11946; or the ASPCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, DC, 20077-7127.