Margaret Pinker Dempski, of Dresher, PA, died Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, at Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, PA, after a short illness. She was 87. She was the wife of Robert E. Dempski, Ph.D., who preceded her in death in 2009. They were married for 42 years.
Born in Skaneateles Falls on Jan. 22, 1931, she was the youngest of seven children of the late John and Helen (Kochan) Pinker.
Mrs. Dempski graduated from Skaneateles High School. She continued her training at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and received her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1952. Furthermore, she received a master’s degree in nursing from Boston University in 1960. Mrs. Dempski began her career as a registered nurse and teacher at Boston University and then was the administrative director of the home care program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. It was here that she met her future husband at a Newman Club summer event.
Mrs. Dempski enjoyed being an active member of the Gardeners of the Crooked Billet where she undertook various leadership positions including president and vice president. Caring for others was a hallmark for many of her interests as she taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine at St. Alphonsus where she was a member for 50 years, volunteered to help immigrants learn English as a second language and volunteered as an election worker. She also took pleasure in decorating her family home in Dresher with various needlework projects.
She was preceded in death by her brothers Michael Pinker and John Pinker as well as her sisters Helen Kulle and Mary Deyneka.
She is survived by three children Anne and husband John Messner, Ph.D. (State College, PA), Sarah and husband Albert Koch (Philadelphia, PA), and Robert E. Dempski, Jr., Ph.D. and wife Marja (Holden, MA); the proud grandma of Isaac, Joseph and Jacob Messner, Hannah Koch, Erika and Helen Dempski; brother Joseph Pinker and sister Ann Jackson; also several treasured nieces and nephews survive.
Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at St. Alphonsus Church, 33 Conwell Drive, Maple Glen, PA. The viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, at the Emil J. Ciavarelli Family Funeral Homes, 951 E. Butler Pike, Ambler, PA. Interment will be in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Cheltenham. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Margaret and Robert Dempski Endowed Scholarship, University of Rochester School of Nursing, 300 East River Road, Box 270032, Rochester, NY 14627 or in her memory to St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 33 Conwell Dr., Maple Glen, PA 19002.
