Margaret (Maggie) Planagan

Margaret Eagle Planagan passed away peacefully surrounded by family July 25, 2018. Margaret’s adventures started in Hollywood, CA, born December 31, 1930 to Frederick and Clara (Jones) Finck. After graduating from Immaculate Heart High School, where she made lifelong friends, Margaret attended nursing school. Her focus soon shifted, however, to William Planagan and the two officially started their journey together in 1951. They raised most of their family in Sunland, CA enjoying many family adventures backpacking in the Sierras, camping at the beach, and skiing in Wrightwood.

In 1974, Margaret, Bill and the younger kids embarked on a life-changing adventure moving their home base to the Elk River, ID area where she lived for nearly four decades. She loved gardening and planting flowers around town. She established the Elk River Historical Museum as part of the Historical Society and amassed a large collection of the town’s history in photos, articles, and personal stories.

Margaret and Bill loved to travel, whether on a remote dirt road or a trip abroad. She was most at home in the mountains and led numerous trips to the Elk Creek Falls, to the big cedar tree, or on horseback. She loved animals. In southern CA, the family had a menagerie of animals from chickens, chukar, guinea pigs, snakes, and geckos to Hector the crow. In Idaho, she had horses and of course, a dog. Margaret rode her horse well into her 70s and was a heat-packing, horseback riding grandma.

Late in life, Margaret traded in her cowgirl boots for city living in Pullman, WA where her journey in this world ended. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband William Planagan, her parents Frederick and Clara (Jones) Finck, sister Louise (Finck) Ramsower and Margaret’s four-legged companion, Flo.

Margaret is survived by: her sister, Elizabeth Donaldson; her children; Gale (Mark) Stromberg, Guy (Jean) Planagan, Gary Planagan (Janice Turner), Pat (Pennie) Planagan, Mary (Paul) Ersland and Teresa Crockett (Tony Spehar). Grandchildren; Kajsa (David) Van De Riet, Bjorn (Yoshiko) Stromberg, Carl Stromberg, Cori Planagan (Mitch Parks), Andy Planagan (Tawnee Houle), Sommer (Jason) McIntosh, Tim (Julie) Planagan, Danica Ersland, Erik Ersland (Shinjini Saha), McKenzie Spehar (R Evan Conrad III), and Megan (Rollin) Grimmett, and great-grandchildren Morgan and Avery Parks, Maddon and Taylor McIntosh.

A simple service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, July 30, 2018 at Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow, ID with interment at a later date beside her father in Altadena, CA.

Heartfelt thanks go to the staff at Regency in Pullman, WA as well as to the Pullman Regional Hospital for their excellent care and compassion.

Whatever her adventure, all can agree, Margaret lived life on her own terms. Happy trails, Maggie!

The family suggests memorials be made to the Elk River Historical Museum, the Elk River Fire and Ambulance Department or to the Los Angeles Fireman’s Relief Association.

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