Margaret Richins celebrates her 94th birthday

It isn't every day that someone has the opportunity to celebrate 94 years of living on this grand old planet earth, but Margaret Richins of Sisters made it that far last Friday, August 29.

Born Belva Margaret Parker in the little town of Hooper, Utah, Margaret has led a life that would drive a lot of people into the ground. She worked hard to acquire a college education and traveled the world with her husband to expand her knowledge even further.

Margaret spent her younger years growing up in Acequia, a small rural town near the Snake River in Idaho. Her father, Parley Pratt Parker, passed away when Margaret was only 15 years old and shortly after that the family moved to Orem, Utah, then Burleigh, Idaho,

It was in Burleigh, while finishing high school, that Margaret met and later married her husband of 69 years, W. Dwaine Richins.

Margaret managed to squeeze in a year at Brigham Young University before she and Dwaine were married, then they spent the next 10 years in Louisiana and Texas while Dwaine obtained his degrees in accounting and business.

After getting his doctorate in Seattle at the University of Washington, Dwaine accepted a teaching position at the University of Oregon. This gave Margaret the opportunity to continue her own education and, while raising a family of four, she earned a bachelor's degree in history & social sciences, and a master's in education. She taught in the Eugene schools for many years.

Margaret and Dwaine loved to travel and often combined work with pleasure. Dwaine took a teaching position in The Netherlands where he exchanged professorships for a year. Other places they visited included Russia, China, Yugoslavia, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and most of Europe. They also traveled the United States in their motor home.

Margaret and Dwaine bought a lot in Indian Ford while they were living in Eugene, hoping they could someday build a home there, as they loved the Sisters area.

When Dwaine retired from teaching in 1979, they realized their dream and came to live here full-time in 1980. Dwaine enjoyed being a ham radio operator and Margaret was active in her church, the Sisters Garden Club and Casual Quilters.

Margaret lost her life partner in 2005 when Dwaine died at the age of 92.

The four Richins children, Janice, Belva Ann, Bill and Harold all became teachers in a variety of areas. Unfortunately, Janice passed away of cancer at 50 years of age. Margaret now has 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

One of Margaret's grandchildren, Glenn, lives with her in Sisters and commutes to the High Desert Museum in Bend where he does their art work. It was Glenn who, without Margaret hearing him, spent part of the night before her birthday decorating the house with streamers, balloons and other birthday decorations, surprising Margaret Friday morning.

The card that Glenn included with the flowers read, "Happy Birthday Grand Ma."