Margaret Korn

Margaret Katherine (Maskell) Korn, 92, of Concord, MA, formerly of Hamden, CT, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2024 in Concord, MA with her family by her side.

Margaret was born on December 3, 1931 in Easton, PA to the late Albert Lewis and Anna Ellen (McGuire) Maskell. She grew up surrounded by animals; dogs, chickens, a goat, and a cat named Boots who ate tomatoes out of the garden. She played saxophone in the high school marching band and had the privilege to play at Yankee Stadium. She was the first in her family to go to college, attending Penn State University where she received a degree in chemistry.

After college, Margaret worked as a chemist and multilingual translator of scientific papers for DuPont Chemicals in Niagara Falls, NY where she met her future husband, the late Gerhard Korn, a fellow chemist. They were both members of the Ground Observer Corps, keeping an eye out for enemy planes during the Cold War era.

In 1961 they moved to New Haven, CT with their son David; their daughter Nancy was born the following year. Margaret took Nancy to all of her dance lessons and recitals and gave her a love of baking from scratch. She went hiking and skiing with David, instilling in him a love for the great outdoors. She was passionate about animals, nature, conservation and alternative medicine. She was always interested in learning about healthy foods while maintaining a love of ice cream and chocolate. She rescued baby birds and helped rehabilitate a seagull with a broken wing. Her front porch was a haven for many stray cats in the neighborhood. She was an early adopter of computers, using her skills to become a freelance desktop publisher and to support several nonprofits. She had a sharp intellect and was a lover of languages, puzzles and humor. She was also undefeated in family Scrabble until at least age 85.

Margaret is survived by her daughter Nancy Korn of Sudbury, MA, her son David Korn (Nancy Dickson) of Stow, MA, grandsons Blake Korn (Kellie Fitzgerald) of Harvard, MA and Drew Korn of Boston, MA, niece Diane Wagner and nephew Alan Maskell.

She is predeceased by her husband, Gerhard Gunter Korn, her parents, and her brother, Albert William Maskell.