Margaret Carroll (Hatton) Kocurek

Margaret Carroll Kocurek (Hatton) of Bluffton, South Carolina, passed away peacefully in the early morning of July 30th, 2022, surrounded by her family and under the care of Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.

Margaret was born in Ithaca, New York, on February 7, 1942, to the late John McClay Hatton and Kathryn Lucille Hatton. Margaret received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963 from Utica College and attended the Syracuse University College of Law. In 1967 she received her master’s degree in Student Personnel Administration from Syracuse University and served as head resident on the staff of the Dean of Women. She served as the Assistant Dean of Women at State University College in Cortland.

Margaret met her husband, Michael Joseph Kocurek, while at Syracuse University, and they married on August 26, 1967. Their first daughter, Monica, was born in Syracuse in 1968.

In 1970, Margaret, Michael and Monica moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where many happy memories were formed for over 16 years. They welcomed daughter Anne Margaret in 1972. While raising her children, Margaret’s time in Stevens Point was filled with many professional milestones at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Career highlights include serving as a career counselor for college students, including non-traditional students and international students, and tutoring college athletes who later went on to success in the NBA and the NFL. She was also the Director of the Reading and Study Skills Lab and other student service areas. Margaret worked to bring Good Morning America to Stevens Point to showcase Stevens Point’s progressive wellness campaigns. She was civic-minded, serving on many municipal boards, chairing the American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters and the St. Michael’s Hospital Auxiliary and was an active member of Newman University Parish.

In 1985, Margaret’s family was complete with the birth of her son, Michael Justin Kocurek. In 1986, Margaret and her family moved to the Southeast, first to Savannah, Georgia, then to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where Margaret would reside for over 35 years. Living near the ocean was a wonderful adventure for Margaret, and she would enjoy times at Folly Field Beach with her family, and then, after they had grown, with Michael, reading and enjoying the sunshine.

Margaret loved to read and always had multiple books on her nightstand, iPad and coffee table at the same time. She would read any genre, but particularly loved the classics, books about travel, and  author Lisa See, who she had the opportunity to meet in person. Margaret had a self-proclaimed “wanderlust” and placed a high priority on traveling during her entire life. Margaret traveled the world, with favorites being England, Ireland, France, China, Italy and British Columbia, and was devastated when COVID ended her love of finding a good deal on a last-minute Caribbean cruise or fast trip to Las Vegas, Beau Rivage or Harrah’s Cherokee. Margaret traveled domestically as well and loved New York City, especially the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Broadway shows, Highway One in California, and destinations nearby like Charleston and Savannah. She loved Elton John, Barry Manilow, Air Supply, Elvis, and loved all things British and French, decorating her homes (which she loved to buy and sell) in such styles.

Margaret shared her life with many dear lifelong friends both in Wisconsin and Hilton Head—she treasured all such relationships. Many of her last thoughts were of those friendships.

She leaves behind her sister Monica A. Hatton, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Margaret and Monica shared a close and special relationship, and Margaret said she could not have asked for a better sister.

She is predeceased by her parents, and is survived by her husband of 55 years, Dr. Michael J. Kocurek of Bluffton, South Carolina; her sister, Monica A. Hatton of Stevens Point, Wisconsin; her daughters Monica (Peter) Gilroy and Anne Margaret (Henry) Kelly of Atlanta, Georgia; her son Mike (Zack) Kocurek of Brooklyn, New York; and three grandchildren whom she adored and who adored her: Kathryn Hatton Gilroy, Charlotte Rowan Gilroy and Joseph McClay Kelly, all of Atlanta.

According to Margaret’s wishes, any memorial services will be private for the family. She will be interred in a family ceremony at Guardian Angel Cemetery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, at a later date.

As a voracious reader and educator her entire life, instilling the love of reading in her own children was a gift she leaves behind. To honor Margaret’s memory, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Ferst Readers (ferstreaders.org).  This charity provides one age-appropriate book a month to a child in poverty, such that by age five a child will have their own library of 60 books. On the donation page, please indicate your donation is in memory of Margaret Kocurek and please apply your donation to Screven County, Georgia from the drop-down box on the website.

The Family wishes to thank the staff at the Hospice Care of the Lowcountry who, although only with Margaret for a few days, insured her last ones were peaceful, dignified and caring. Your compassion, kindness and efforts will never be forgotten.