Obituary of Margaret Ann Pankratz

Margaret Ann “Becky” (Sinclair) Pankratz, age 92, passed away on Friday, December 11, 2020. Margaret was born in Alton, Illinois and passed away at a hospital near her home in La Canada, California. She is survived by her husband A.J.; the couple’s six children: Margaret Smith, David Pankratz, Jean Garvey, Barbara Van De Water, Catherine Martin, and Robert Pankratz; five grandchildren: Andrew Smith, Allison (Smith) Rupe, Steven Pankratz, Justin Pankratz, and Nicholas Pankratz; and three greatgrandchildren: Rae Lyn Rupe, Juliette Rupe, and Orion Pankratz. She grew up in Alton, graduated from Alton High School and worked in St. Louis. She met her husband A.J. at a dance when he was stationed at Scott Air Force Base. They were married at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Alton and then moved to Glendale, California and then to La Canada, California. Her 68-year marriage produced many kind and loving memories. In 2011, she was honored as the Ambassador of the Year by the city of La Canada Flintridge for volunteering thousands of hours to the city. She was instrumental in the founding of both Glenola Park and the Mayors’ Discovery Park. Margaret received numerous other awards for her volunteer work, including the Camp Fire Girls Luther Halsey Gulick Award, Parent Teachers’ Association Founders Day Honorary Service Award, and the Los Angeles County Les Tupper Community Service Award for outstanding commitment to the community. She was also known for her years of outstanding contributions to the Camp Fire Girls, La Canada Schools P.T.A., Campus Pride, La Canada Beautiful, La Canada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce, La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses, the City of La Canada Flintridge and for her tireless work on the publication of the biographies of the La Canada Flintridge first mayors known as “Our City’s Former Mayors Since 1976 Incorporation.” She truly enjoyed helping others, helping young Girl and Boy Scouts to earn their community service badges. Margaret is lovingly remembered as a kind and generous woman, as well as a devoted wife and mother whom enjoyed home and garden projects. She will be deeply missed. A private graveside service and burial will be held, at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Alton. Funeral Services will be provided by Gents Funeral Home in Alton. Additional information and online guest book may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com. Photographs shared by the family will be available for viewing on her obituary page at that site and at www.crippenmortuary.com.