NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Margaret Jean (Smith) Yarranton, passed away Sunday Feb. 20, 2022, in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. after a brief hospitalization.

Born on May 7, 1936 in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England she was the daughter of the late Ronald S. Smith and Eileen (Neale) Smith.

After growing up on the Isle of Wight, England she moved to London, England where she worked in a cancer research laboratory before marrying her former husband, Arthur Yarranton.

In 1962 they relocated from England to the United States to the Boston, Mass. area. For Margaret, an only child, it was wonderful to finally be near her Uncle Charles and Aunt Ivy and their daughters, her cousins Ellen, Ann Lee, Ivy “Nicky” and Victoria “Tia”.

After raising her children, she opened an antiques shop with two friends in Belmont, Mass. and continued with antiques dealing until her retirement at which time she started to live out her dream of becoming an artist. She then moved to New Hampshire and Maine. The last 30 years she split between Maine and Florida, spending summers in Maine and winters in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Margaret was very proud of her British heritage, and in particular of her father and his role as key military meteorologist to help plan the assault on the beaches of Normandy for the D-Day Operations.

She was a free spirit, and an avid reader with a passion for the arts. She had a special eye for everything connected to the sea. She loved painting on old paddles, buoys and other wooden artifacts. Although she lived far away from her children and grandchildren, she phoned frequently keeping us up to date on her daily life as well as those she cared about. She was a passionate vintage consumer long before it became the rage. Her home was in Florida but her heart was in Maine. We miss you Mom/Grandma.

She is survived by two sons, Nigel John Yarranton of St Thomas, USVI; son, Neal Evan Yarranton and wife Kristen, of Pembroke, Mass. and their children William and Davis; daughter, Judith Ellen Yarranton Rossebo and her husband Halldor of Oslo Norway and their children Henriette and Christopher.

Arrangements: A celebration of life will be held at Newburyport Senior Center, 331 High St., Newburyport, Mass. at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 18.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests a contribution to Doctors without Borders.