Margaret Ann Willison

Margaret Ann (Shortis) Willison, 86 went to be with her heavenly Father on Wednesday, April
24, 2024 at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, surrounded by her entire
family. She was just six weeks shy of her 87 th birthday. Margaret was born on June 6, 1937 in
Detroit, Michigan to Cleo Francis (Gibson) Shortis and Arnold Anthony “Irish” Shortis.

She grew up in Logansport surrounded by the love of family in a neighborhood full of friends
that she considered family her entire life. She attended Tipton Elementary School and
graduated from Logansport High School in 1955. She was a proud Berry and never missed a
class reunion.

She worked at the State Hospital in the Records Department for 9 years. She loved working
with the physicians and the patient records, and her recordkeeping and filing skills served her
well in running a well-organized home.

She met the love of her life in the fall of 1962, and Paul Willison proposed in January of 1963.
They were married on July 6, 1963 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. They enjoyed 43 years of
marriage full of travel, attending sporting events, and lots of laughs. Paul’s United States Air
Force career allowed Margaret the opportunity to experience base living at Bunker Hill AFB
before learning she loved desert life at Edwards AFB, California. Margaret’s love for her
hometown brought them back to Logansport upon Paul’s retirement from Beale AFB, California
in 1966. They returned to Indiana with their prize Mojave Desert souvenir of a bouncy baby
boy, Tony, and had their daughter, Angela, arrived shortly after returning to Logansport.

Margaret worked at JCPenney in the evenings on the switchboard in Kokomo and then in
Logansport for several years. In 1977 she started working at the Logansport High School
cafeteria. She loved that she could work on a school calendar and still be a room mom and
scorekeeper for her kids’ basketball teams. She worked 19 years in the cafeteria and loved the
energy of the young people. As an avid sports fan she followed her beloved Berries,
Boilermakers, Cubbies, and could talk any sport with the best of them. She was a champion at
most trivia, but excelled at sports trivia. She won so many WSAL sports trivia competitions that
they were continuously changing the rules to slow down her winning streaks.

She enthusiastically supported all things that her children participated in. She loved the
marching band, and could be spotted on her front porch when the band practiced marching in
the streets, often with tears in her eyes as her pride and enthusiasm leaked out.

Margaret was faith-filled, fearless, welcoming to all, loyal, and a peacekeeper. Her sense of
right and wrong made her spunky, and she wasn’t afraid to stand up for others. Her childhood
friendships remained very dear to her throughout her life.

She was not a good driver, as she grew up in a family that did not own a car. She only learned to
drive when her fiancé insisted she would need the skill living on a military base. Upon his death,
she could be heard shouting to the sky after bumping a curb, “Don’t look, Paul!”

She was determined to build a strong family who loved each other, and she was a beautiful
example to them. She loved her grandchildren, and her happiest days were with her family
gathered together. For 18 years she soldiered on without her beloved husband, Paul. She
continued to live a full life and rarely said no to any ask - state band competitions, watching her
grandchildren march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, traveling to Hawaii, Outer Banks,
Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, Disney World, a wedding in California, were all yes! She loved her
Irish heritage, and traveled to Ireland and England several times to visit her aunts, uncle, and
cousins.

Surviving are two children Anthony P. “Tony” Willison (Tammy), Peru, IN, and Angela Willison
Springer (David), Jeffersonville, IN. Adoring grandchildren, Lauryn Rachel Willison, Aaron Payton
Willison (Marissa), Leah Alexis Willison (Nathaniel Moss), Ella Anne Springer, Paul David
Springer, and Madelyn Jean Willis. And her sweet great-grandson Payton Wayne Willison.
Margaret is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, a host of devoted friends that
she considered family, and her family’s sweet mini doodle Maggie. She is predeceased by her
parents, husband, Paul Willison, brother George R. Coughlin and his wife Maxine, and her
beloved schnauzer Schultzy.

The family would like to thank the loving staff at Woodbridge Assisted Living. She openly told
others that she could not have received better care. A huge thanks to her amazing medical
team of Dr. James Hermiller, Dr. Brent Marsden, and Dr. Katherine Palmisano.

Margaret chose the gift of life and was an organ donor. Her beautiful skin and tissue donations
will help burn and breast cancer patients.

Friends may call from 2 to 5 pm Sunday, April 28 at Rans Funeral Homes, Marocco Chapel, 119
E. Market Street, Logansport. Father Block will celebrate at the Funeral Mass on Monday, April
29 at 10:00 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions can be made to the Cass County Community Foundation, as Margaret
loved the work they did to help her community.