- Date Of Birth: November 22, 1947
- Date Of Death: January 14, 2012
- State: Idaho
Margaret “Maggie” Lynn Ferro McKinnon Haile
The world’s light dimmed a bit when Margaret Ferro McKinnon Haile (1947-2012) died from a stroke on Saturday, January 14, surrounded by her family and friends. Maggie, as she was known to most, was born to Ross and Dorothy Ferro on November 22, 1947 in Nampa. She was the sixth of nine siblings and became a pillar of a large extended family. After growing up in Caldwell, Maggie rarely strayed far from home; attending nursing school at Ricks College in Rexburg, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Graceland College in Iowa, and eventually moving to Nampa.
Maggie and her first husband of 24 years, Clark McKinnon of Caldwell, had two children, Jeff and Nicki. A few years after their divorce, Maggie met and married Dean Haile of Nampa, her husband until her death. For nearly 35 years, Maggie served as the recovery room charge nurse at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. She developed a broad circle of friends throughout the Treasure Valley who frequently commented on the sense of comfort they felt knowing that if they needed surgery, Maggie would be the first person they’d see when they awoke after their procedure. She retired from a proud career in 2009 and threw her full passion into being a doting grandmother, friend, and family matriarch. A fiercely competitive woman, Maggie loved participating in softball, volleyball, bowling, and other team sports. For decades, she traveled throughout the western states as a pitcher in slow-pitch softball tournaments, even attending and winning several national competitions. Maggie also expressed her artistic talents in the form of the beautiful quilts she created, marking the milestones of her friends’ and family’s lives with a generous gift of her stunning fabric artwork. She recently served as the Chairwoman of the Treasure Valley Quilt Club.
Maggie was a woman with a powerful work ethic and deeply valued independence and personal accountability. She was fond of telling her children, “You don’t always get what you want, but hard work improves your odds!” Maggie lived her life with integrity and compassion, making those who knew her admire and love her. She is survived by her husband, Dean Haile of Nampa; son, Jeff McKinnon of Kuna; stepdaughter, Melissa Graham and granddaughter, Cierra Graham of Garden City; sisters, Joan Cayler and Dale Ann Cayler, both of Caldwell, and Doris Willmorth of Snoqualmie, WA; her brother, Dave Ferro of Caldwell; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Gwen Nichole McKinnon; her sisters, Jackie Amos of Melba and Kathy Wells of Orofino; and her brothers, Gary Ferro of Federal Way, WA and William Ferro of Caldwell.
