Margaret E. Head - Spry Funeral Home
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Margaret E. Head, resident of Toney, Ala went to her eternal rest on July 1, 2025. She was 99 years old. Born Margaret Deffenbaugh on January 19, 1926 in rural Mayfield, Kan to Thomas Deffenbaugh and Margaret Lynne (Miller) Deffenbaugh. She spent her life in service to God, her family, and to others. She was a retired nurse, bank bookkeeper and aircraft factory expediter.
She was a member of the Jennings Chapel Church of Christ in Toney.
“Miss Margaret” was a master cookie baker and a self-made cookbook publisher, publishing two family cookbooks, with help from her sisters and sister-in-law. She went on to self-publish three of her own cookbooks: A Taste of Florida College; In the Kitchen with Miss Margaret (at age 84); and Miss Margaret's Little Cookiebook (at 94). Her love of great cooking inspired her children to be cooks and bakers in their own right. She also published her own books, Can Grief Be A Blessing?; It Can Be Done: Tommy's Lynne; and Mining for God's Gold in Life's Dark Valleys. Proceeds of her books were donated to her favorite charities.
Miss Margaret suffered many tragedies in her life, but her deep faith led her to encourage others with two pieces of advice: “when grief visits you, don't try to get over it; work to get through it, a day at a time”; and resolve to say always, “it is well with my soul.”
She married John William McCort, Sr, in Wellington, Kan on January 26, 1945, and to this union were born Marsha, John and Paula; John Sr. preceded her in death in 1957. She married Harold G. Head June 6, 1959, and son Mark was born. Harold preceded her in death in 1988. She is also preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Deffenbaugh and Margaret Lynn Deffenbaugh; brothers, Wendell, Raymond, David and Eugene; and sisters Maxine, Opal and Kathleen; daughter, Paula Zimmerman; and son, John McCort, Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Marsha Lynn Hazelwood (Walt) of Toney; son, Mark Head of East Meadow, New York; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at Spry Funeral Home, 804 US Hwy 72 W, Athens, Ala, Saturday, July 5, 2026; Visitation at 1:00pm, followed by service at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Margaret Head Student Endowment Fund at floridacollege.edu/give/make-a-gift . Select “Endowed Scholarship” and type “Margaret Head” in the window.
Congregational singing led by Jason McCort, Grandson.
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2 comments
Larry visited with us a couple days before he entered the hospital. We will cherish that visit forever. At some point in every visit Linda’s remembrance would be discussed. He loved his wife so very much. RIP Larry and Linda.
We miss you, Bob and Phyllis