Margaret A. Eng

Her childhood was filled with adventures around beautiful Lake Ossiach in the southern Alps. Some of her fondest memories came from her adventures on Gerlitzen Mountain, where her family owned and managed land extending up to the 6,269 foot summit.

Life during WWII was not easy, however. Her military father was away for years at a time, often without word of when or if he would return. Bombing raids near her home meant she would often hear Allied planes attacking the nearby city of Villach. These and many other wartime experiences taught her how to be resilient and grateful for what she had.

She earned her PhD in Psychology from the University of Innsbruck. It was there that she met Erling Eng, an American professor of Psychology who took an interest in her independent spirit. She soon decided to come to the United States, despite knowing very little English or what the future held. She and Erling married in 1961, after which she became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

They lived in Yellow Springs, Ohio, for a few years before moving to Lexington. Prior to the birth of her children, she worked as a clinical psychologist helping troubled adolescents. After her children were born, she made the decision to be at home to provide the best environment possible for the family that she so dearly loved.

She was remarkably creative, with a flair for the dramatic that brightened every room she entered. True to her Austrian roots, she often had a story to tell, a joke to share and an ear to listen. She was always looking out for those who needed an extra hand in life, whether it was in her own home, in her neighborhood or in the larger world.

After the death of her husband, their son Walter lovingly dedicated his life to protecting her, advocating for her and caring for her every need. She looked forward to daily phone calls with her daughter Christina, who cherished hearing her mother’s voice and catching up on her daily events.

She is preceded in death by her husband Erling in 2002 and her sister Anneliese in 2018. She is survived by her two children, Walter of Lexington and Christina (Peter) Fairman of Springfield, MA; her nieces and nephew, Elke, Lili and Klaus Preininger, all of Steindorf, Austria; a great niece, Eva Preininger, of Steindorf, Austria; stepdaughters Kiki (Tom) Provost of Canterbury, NH and Ellen (Phil) Linscott of Hilton Head, SC; several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

A special loving thank you goes out to Bluegrass Care Navigators, Word of Hope Lutheran Church, Jenny Latendresse, Becky Wallick and everyone who gave of themselves over the years so she could enjoy the best life possible.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Bluegrass Care Navigators or the Lexington Humane Society.