Margaret Marie Hite

Margaret Marie Hite, age 96, passed away on April 10, 2026 shortly after telling her daughters she had “thanked Jesus for a long, lovely life”. Margaret was born March 3, 1930 in New York City to Marceline Becker Fletcher and the late Lester Fletcher, who died 3 days before her birth. In her younger years, growing up near the seashore living with her grandparents, Carl and Liz Becker of Staten Island, and 7 uncles, while her mother worked as a practical nurse, she attended St. Rita’s Catholic School.

Upon her mother’s marriage in 1938 to Gilbert V. McGurl, a chemical engineer, Margaret’s life dramatically changed. Her stepfather greatly influenced her life thereafter, starting with an introduction to city life, the family of 3 moving to Newark, New Jersey, to the new MacEvoy Court. A 10 story apartment building with a pool, Margaret was at home in the water as a swimmer and met her lifelong best friend, Mona Lorenze. Attending school together from 3rd grade through high school at St. Rose of Lima and Barringer High School, Mona recalls they laughed lots and found everything amusing. Soon babysitting jobs, hanging out at Grunnings enjoying milkshakes and the occasional banana split, attending movies at the Tivoli where they paid 75 cents to go to Saturday matinees, and going to the Palm, a luncheonette with jukeboxes at each table, and enjoying the music of Glen Miller and Tom Dorsey bands filled their lives. Traveling together, Mona recalls Margaret was always prepared with attire for ANY occasion, a characteristic she maintained throughout her life.

At Barringer High School, Margaret was a member of the Boots and Saddle Club, the Spanish Honorary Society, and Library Staff. While being a great student, she also worked at One World, a radio show in Newark, taking elocution lessons and losing her New York accent. Her Barringer Atheneum Yearbook quote “Well-disciplined, yet possesses an independent air” seems apropos.

Following completion of Katharine Gibbs School in New York City, Margaret’s first job was at Chicago Bridge and Iron, secretary to Mr. Davies. Interested in travel, she next took a position with Travel and Study. During that time, she met her future husband Kennith F. Hite, a United States Military Academy cadet at West Point, New York, from west Texas. October 14, 1950, during the Army-Michigan football game Ken approached the fellow she and her friend were with during half-time to enquire where they were headed after the game. Joining them there at the German-American Club, sitting at adjacent tables, Ken asked whether he might write her. After Margaret replied to his first letter with “Dear Bob” Ken simply called her. They married June 1951 upon Ken’s graduating from USMA, with Mona as her maid of honor. They spent their honeymoon at Delaware Water Gap and then drove to Farmington, New Mexico to visit Ken’s relatives, traveling the Million Dollar Highway to Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Stick's cabin in Colorado. There, Margaret tried her hand at preparing the one dish she knew how to prepare- spaghetti. Unfortunately, with lack of high altitude cooking skills, the meal was a flop.

Upon being among the 25% of cadets who passed the physical requirements for entering the U.S. Air Force, after graduating from USMA, Ken was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and they reported to Moultry, Georgia for his first assignment, then Chandler, AZ, and Nellis AFB, Nevada, there flying the F-86 Sabre jet.

Their growing family then began with the birth of daughter Suzanne Marie. Six weeks later mother and child moved to Castle Shannon, PA, living near Margaret’s parents, awaiting Ken’s return from the Korean War, while Margaret worked for the Pittsburgh Press and her parents cared for Suzanne. 90 missions later Ken returned and the 3 headed to Nellis AFB, once again. The family grew with son, Robert Douglas, and daughter, Holly Grace, soon to follow. Assigned to the newly established U.S. Air Force Academy, in 1957 the family moved to Colorado for the next 4 years, where Ken taught and mentored students of the first graduating class of cadets.

Mother adapted and thrived during her life as a fighter pilot’s wife and mother of 3. Packing up one home and quickly and proficiently setting up a new home at the next assignment every few years was a skill she developed quickly. Enrolling the children in new schools, assisting with making new friends and assuring their adjustment with each new assignment became her loving task. Handling all household duties during Ken’s two remote tours of duty became second nature. When the children were all school aged, she returned to work as a secretary at any opportunity. During her free time, Margaret enjoyed the social life offered in the military at the Officer’s Club, the Wives Club, the pool and more. She took Japanese lessons in Okinawa, toured Japan with Ken, and immersed herself in the culture of every location the family lived. In Hawaii she took Tahitian and hula lessons, served as den mother for Robert’s cub scout troop, oversaw ukelele and piano lessons for the children and enjoyed the beaches and cooking on the hibachi with the family, all while working as a secretary. In Germany, she learned German, toured the castles and Rathskellers near the Rhine and Mosel Rivers with Ken, took 15-year-old Suzanne to Berlin by train with the Wive's Club group, toured Paris and London with Ken, arranged dressage lessons for Holly and hosted German exchange students for Robert. Margaret nurtured and encouraged each of her children’s aspirations and talents. Returning by ship to the United States from France, the family then resided in Washington, DC where Margaret took a position as Executive Secretary at George Washington University Medical School. A few more assignments to Alabama and San Antonio, TX and the children were launched into college and medical school. The next few assignments were sans dependents, although Robert took the opportunity to join them in another tour in Hawaii as a young working adult. Ken and Margaret completed Ken's career in Washington DC.

Retiring in Lubbock, TX, closest to Ken’s roots, in 1979, the couple immersed themselves into community activities, enjoying the Lubbock Club, Texas Tech Club, The Round Table and several military alumni groups, as well as becoming avid Red Raider football and basketball fans.

As for herself, Margaret opened her own secretarial business, Dictation Lubbock, and managed the Metro Tower. The children, now young adults, rallied round frequently enjoying swimming in the family pool, backyard grilling, boating, music and dance. She took several trips to New York City with Suzanne and Holly, and visited her friend Mona. Later, after closing her business, always an avid reader and eager to learn, aspiring to obtain a college degree she attended Texas Tech University, fully participating in the class play, and writing poetry for the publication. She was honored to become a member of Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honorary, joining her daughter Suzanne (TTU 1974) and subsequently her great-granddaughter, Heidi Mayes (TTU 2023) in this organization. Margaret graduated with a B.A. in General Studies, magna cum laude at Texas Tech University, Class of 2000, at the age of 70. However, Margaret had more ambition (and clearly self-discipline) and did not rest on her laurels long before earning her master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill College in Pennsylvania at age 73. She joined the Romance Writers of America Association and poured herself into writing fiction, poems, and human-interest stories, one published in Lubbock Lights. She continued swimming and working out into her 80's. When ready to down size, Ken and Margaret moved to Raider Ranch in Lubbock where Margaret enjoyed social activities with Ken, patio gardening, bridge, and taking online French classes.

When Ken died in 2019, Margaret was greatly saddened yet faced it with her characteristic determination and grit. She moved to Clifton, near Holly, living briefly alone until her son Robert joined her upon being diagnosed with blood cancer, just as COVID-19 hit the nation. They returned to Raider Ranch and Margaret enjoyed renewing old acquaintances and playing bridge. When Robert passed away in 2022, Margaret returned to reside with Holly and Jim. During the period after Ken passed away, Margaret enjoyed cruises with Doug and Holly, made trips to Winstar to play the slots and spent her 94th birthday in Las Vegas with Holly. She visited Suzanne in Houston for several birthday celebrations, big city shopping, theater, musical and museum events. Family members Cathy Landers and Christy Glaze joined her for her 95th birthday. She continued to read voraciously even adjusting to a Kindle, and kept abreast of national and world events, to her dying day. Margaret was a remarkable, beautiful lady, energetic, self-disciplined, kind, a force of nature, adventurous, with an amazing zest for life. Family and friends are left to cherish her memory.

Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, Marceline and Gilbert V. McGurl; husband, Col. Kennith F. Hite; son, Robert D. Hite; brother, Gilbert V. McGurl, Jr.; grandson, Chris “Cowboy” Slagle; and nephew, Daniel McGurl.

She is survived by daughter, Suzanne M. Hite, MD of Houston and friend Robert L Horan; daughter Holly Begeal and husband, Jim of Clifton; best friend Mona Lorenze; grandchild, Heather Slagle; great-grandchildren, Jacelyn Slagle (Luis Enriquez), Heidi Mayes, Chris Mayes (Ritzy); great-great-grandchildren, KC and Aria; sister-in-law Noreen McGurl, nephews, Gerry McGurl and Mike McGurl, and close family, Robert Begeal (Megan), Larkyn and Ryker Begeal, Chloe Bekkelund and Austin Bekkelund, and James Begeal (Kelly), Wyatt, Tyler, Camille and Colton Hale.

The family wishes to thank the physicians and Providence Hospice who provided exemplary and compassionate care in her final weeks.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, April 26, 2026 at the Bosque County Cowboy Church, 7023 HWY 6 Meridian, TX 76665.

Funeral Mass to be held, Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Community Chapel,
5134 Cathedral Dr
USAFA, Colorado, USA.

Contact Suzanne or Holly, as soon as possible, for essential access to base information in order to attend the service.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Providence Hospice of Waco.