Margaret McCall

Margaret A. McCall, 87, a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on January 31, 2026. Born on August 28, 1938, in Vernon, NJ, to William I. and Helen M. Phillips (nee Dunay), Margaret was the eldest of three children. She grew up in Paterson—a city she loved dearly and spoke of often with fond reminiscence. Her family later moved to Wayne, where she eventually met the love of her life, Jim McCall (Jim from the main gate), in Lakehurst, NJ, while he was serving in the Marine Corps. Married on October 6, 1963, Marge and Jim settled in Teaneck in 1965. There, they built a life defined by love and devotion for nearly 60 years, raising their four daughters until Jim’s passing in 2022. During those years, Marge also enjoyed a long career with the Lofberg Insurance Agency. A 'Jersey girl' through and through, she was happiest at the beach—a passion she shared with her family every summer during their annual vacations in Ortley In retirement, Marge and Jim dedicated themselves to serving their community and supporting veteran organizations. They were active in the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, the American Legion, the VFW, and both the Gooney Bird and Devil Dog Marine Corps detachments. In recognition of their tireless work, Marge and Jim were both honored with the Four Chaplains Award from the Gooney Bird Marine Corps detachment. This prestigious award recognizes selfless service and religious support provided to the military community, regardless of faith or race, in the spirit of the historic sacrifice of the Four Chaplains. Marge also frequently volunteered at St. Anastasia’s Church, preparing sandwiches for those in need. Margaret was predeceased by her beloved husband, James E. McCall; her parents, William and Helen; her brother, William Phillips; and her sister, Marilyn Parr. She was also predeceased by her brother in law, Edward McCall, sister in law, Stella McCall, and her nephew, James R. McCall. She is survived by: ● Her brothers and sisters-in-law: John Parr, Debbie Phillips, Christine McCall, Frank and Trish McCall, Kevin and Mary McCall. ● Her daughters and sons-in-law: Stacy and Ron, Julie and Wayne, Ellen and Todd, and Marilyn and Greg. ● Her grandchildren: James, Tamara, Amanda, Chelsea, Melissa, Shawn, Kerry, Jaclyn, Kevin, and T.J. ● Her great-grandchildren: Rose and Henry. ● Many loving nieces and nephews. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Toys for Tots or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.