Margaret "Midge" F. Rothrock

AIKEN, SC – MARGARET F. ROTHROCK, 77, died Thursday, March 11, 2021 surrounded by her sons after a long and brave battle with lung cancer.

Donald Rothrock predeceased Midge in April 2009.  They were happily married for 46 years.  Of all the titles Midge held, none were more important to her than “Mom and Mrs.”.  Her older son Andrew, an Electrical Engineer and his wife Lynn, live in Shorewood, Wisconsin and are parents to grandson Scott and granddaughter Suzanne.  Her younger son Martin, Colonel USAF, Retired and his wife Beth live in the Virginia/DC area and have one child, Avery, who lives in Boston, Massachusetts.  Don’s daughter Dawn, retired RN is also part of Midge’s extended family, living in Waterloo, Iowa.

A native of Chardon, Ohio, Midge was the youngest remaining of a dozen children of Norine Lane Grantham and Lloyd Grantham.  Surviving siblings include Lloyd (Nancy) Grantham, Bradenton, Florida; Patricia Cook, Sun City Center, Florida; Jeanne Stout, Carrollton, Texas; Richard (Sheila) Grantham, Chardon, Ohio and Thomas (Ruthann) Grantham, Madison Wisconsin as well as Donald’s brother, Dr. Richard Rothrock, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In recent years, Midge served in her second career for more than a decade as Communications Director at St. John’s United Methodist Church in downtown Aiken.  She also wrote a popular social column in the Aiken Standard called “A Smidge with Midge” as well as having written 100 lengthy profiles in Mature Times over the years of interesting seniors doing good work in our Aiken community.  She has grown to love this community of Aiken, including her neighborhood of Cedar Creek.

Her first career led her from Ohio to The Twin Cities to California to South Carolina where she held progressively more senior executive position in high tech, aerospace and the hospitality industry.  A lifelong learner, her primary field was in Communications and Organizational Development.  She has also served on both paid and volunteer Boards of Directors.  Locally, she served on the Boards of ACTS, Community Care and Counseling, Aiken Women’s Heart Board and the Sounding Board of Aiken Standard.  She enjoyed being a part of the Chancel Choir of St. John’s UMC.

Special thanks are extended to Betsy and George Montgomery, Sue and Jim Bedard, Edna Morris and David Forrester, Susan and Chuck Pickett and Linda and Tom Calhoun; along with gratitude to the Oncology team led by Dr. Jeremy Wells, the team at Helping Hands Hospice and Daybreak Adult Care Services.

Her service will be held at St. John’s United Methodist Church at Richland Avenue and Newberry Street, downtown Thursday morning, March 18^th at 11 o’clock with The Rev. Dr. W. Timothy McClendon and Rev. Greyson “Butch” Blackwell officiating.  The service will be livestreamed on https://www.stjaiken.org and also on St. John's Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsaiken.  The family will receive friends, weather permitting in the church’s courtyard following the service.  Interment will be private in the Columbarium and Prayer Garden at the church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to St. John’s United Methodist Church, 104 Newberry Street, NW, Aiken, SC 29801.

SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC