Margaret Carroll, 84, of Newtown, died peacefully on Thursday, January 30, at Newtown Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, surrounded by her family and her granddog, Tali.

Margaret LaCossitt was born November 22, 1935, in Norwalk, Conn., to Henry and Betty LaCossitt. She grew up on Riverside Drive in New York City and attended Brearley School. Upon graduation, she went to Bradford College in Haverhill, Mass.

In 1955 Maggie married Ted Trinkaus and they lived in Norwalk and Weston, Conn., where they built a house and she was a busy mom, raising three children; in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, where she was their ice hockey coach; and in Chapel Hill, N.C., where she became a registered nurse.

Ted died in 2002, and in 2005 Maggie married her lifelong friend and admirer, Tom Carroll, Jr. They lived in Newtown.

In addition to her husband, Maggie is survived by her children Ted, Jr, (Kaye) Trinkaus of Snow Camp, N.C., Mark Trinkaus of Sanford, N.C., and Elizabeth (Greg Fitts) Trinkaus of Chapel Hill, N.C.; and stepchildren Cathy Carroll of Charlotte, N.C., Susan Rice of Matthews, N.C., Thomas Carroll of Melrose, Mass., and Cadence Carroll of Newtown.

She was truly loved by everyone who ever knew her, and her love for family, friends, and animals was inspiring to all.

A celebration of her life is being planned.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) at worldwildlife.org.