Margaret ‘Margrit’ Page Tydings Petrie
- Published: November 6, 2025
Feb. 21, 1941–Oct. 29, 2025
Margaret “Margrit” Page Tydings Petrie died peacefully on the morning of Oct. 29, 2025, at Shawnee Estates Senior Living in Xenia, Ohio.
Born in Anchorage, Kentucky, to Joseph Mansir Tydings and Mary Page Gaines Tydings, Margrit grew up — with her older sister, Anne — among creeks and trees, recovering from childhood polio with the strength and determination that shaped her life.
Her father’s civil-rights leadership as president of the Lincoln Institute, later known as the Lincoln Foundation, and her mother’s lifelong devotion to music instilled in her a deep commitment to justice, creativity and compassion.
A graduate of Eastern High School in Louisville, Margrit earned dual degrees from the University of Cincinnati in 1963 — a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Education — and later a Master of Arts in Education from George Peabody College (Vanderbilt University), where she met her husband, Garner “Mack” McReynolds Petrie Jr.
They married in 1972 and later managed the Pennington Friends House in New York City, a Quaker residence for students and international visitors. Their son, Mansir McReynolds Petrie, was born there in 1977.
In 1980, the family left New York City and moved to Ohio, where they became connected with the Miami Monthly Meeting of Friends in Waynesville, Ohio. There, Margrit deepened her spiritual roots and focused on teaching, blending her love of education, art and Quaker values.
Guided by her Quaker and Presbyterian faiths, Margrit taught art and art history for more than a decade through Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio, as part of its prison-education program at Warren County Correctional Institution. She believed that art could open hearts, expand awareness and restore dignity — values she lived and taught each day.
Settling in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1991, she became a member of the Village Artisans Cooperative and the Yellow Springs Friends Meeting, transforming her home into both studio and community — a gathering place for artists, neighbors and friends. A lifelong artist, Margrit worked in many media, often focusing on papier-mâché masks and sculptures, as well as painted portraits in acrylic. Her art reflected her love of color, shape and symbolism, each piece carrying with it a sense of magical creativity. Her annual Groundhog’s Day celebrations, filled with poetry, food and laughter, captured that same spirit: creative, kind and welcoming to all.
In 2022, Margrit moved to Shawnee Estates Senior Living in Xenia, where she was a vibrant member of the community — sharing warmth, humor and creative energy with residents and staff alike. She was supported with great love by her dear and faithful friends Anna Arbor, Nezita Lawrence and Roger Smith, as well as by members of the Yellow Springs Quaker community, who frequently brought her to Meeting for Worship.
As a true testament to her lifelong connection with others, Margrit was also bolstered by many other community members who visited her often and encouraged her to continue creating art. Their care reflected the enduring Yellow Springs spirit — a community grounded in friendship, creativity and the simple act of showing up for one another.
Margrit is survived by her son, Mansir McReynolds Petrie; daughter-in-law, Daphne de Souza Lima Sorensen; granddaughter, Célia Page Aragão Petrie; and sister, Anne Russell Street.
Her life stands as a testament to art, compassion and the power of community to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
A memorial service will be held at Rockford Chapel, under the care of the Yellow Springs Friends Meeting, on Nov. 29, 2025, at 11 a.m. More details are forthcoming. Her son, Mansir, can be reached at mansipretrie@gmail.com.
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