Obituary of Margaret-Richardson Wilkins

<!-- DisplayFullObituaryText -->Margaret Richardson WilkinsMargaret Richardson Wilkins, born April 11, 1927 to Julia Blanche Walthall Richardson and James Wallace Richardson, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2014 in Falls Church, VA.Margie, affectionately known as Crafty Margie in her later years, was an artist above all. Named Most Outstanding Art Student in high school, she was a graduate of the Livingstone Academy of Dress Design and Famous Artists School. Margie spent a lifetime creating art - from her years drawing and painting dog portraits to her mass production of Christmas ornaments, especially her Santa figurines, hand-painted on Cypress knees.Christmas cards from the Wilkins family were treasured items - each year featuring a painted portrait of the family. Margie exhibited in art shows across the Atlantic coast, including six years in the Greenwich Village art shows. Her dog paintings were in private collections of Lorne Greene, Don Dunphy and Curt Gowdy, and she did commission work for the Brookhaven, LI Kennel Club and the Nassau County Dog Training Club. Margie also worked on young son Bruce's many homemade feature films as costume designer, make-up artist and set designer. Of note was the glamorous look of Cleopatra played by oldest daughter Janis at age 10. Margie designed and sewed all costumes and outfitted the Egyptian queen with a wig made of a mop head dyed black. Margie's talents didn't stop with art - she was proud of her super typing skills, utilized by the Veteran's Administration and the U.S. Maritime Commission to name a few. In fact, we children lovingly referred to her as the Recording Secretary of the World.During her time on Long Island, Margie was a member of the Strathmore Vanderbilt Women's Club, and was selected Woman of the Month by Manhasset Club Life magazine in June 1966.She was also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and was listed in Who's Who of American Women and Biographic Directory of American Artists and Community Leaders of America. In 1977, Margie moved back to her home state of Virginia, and worked as Administrative Director for the Conservative Caucus in Vienna, VA for 15 years. Margie was also known for her joke telling - everyone from cousins to mail carriers to doctors had to listen to a joke as soon as she entered a room.Her sharp wit and charm made her a favorite patient during her last months spent at Sunrise in Falls Church, where she always remembered every caregiver's name. Margie was preceded in death by her son Bruce, and is survived by daughters Janis Wilkins of New York City and Diane Wilkins (Marie Lacap) of Tallahassee, Florida.