Margaret Macon Rymar

Margaret Macon Van Brunt Rymar
1924 – 2018

Margaret Macon Van Brunt Rymar, of Santa Fe, NM died on March 3, 2018 at the age of 93.
Margaret, born in Kansas City, Missouri on August 8, 1924, was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Julian Wencel Rymar and was the only child of Grace Wilson and John Van Brunt.
She attended Notre Dame De Sion, The Hockaday School, and graduated from Belton High School in Belton Mo. Margaret earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College. On December 11, 1954 she and Lt. Commander Julian Rymar, USNR, were married by the Rt. Rev Robert Nelson Spencer, the Retired Episcopal Bishop of West Missouri, at the family home.
Margaret’s family was responsible for many historical landmarks in the Kansas City area. Her great uncle, Adriance Van Brunt, was a member of the First Park Board of Kansas City, Missouri. He is the man for whom Van Brunt Boulevard was named. Her grandfather, John Van Brunt, a brother of Adriance, was also a prominent Kansas City Architect. The Kansas City, Missouri Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded her grandmother, Hope Casey Van Brunt a silver service for marking the Santa Fe Trail from Arrowrock, MO to the Missouri state line. Margaret was also a member of the Colonial Dames of Missouri.
Her maternal great-grandfather, George W. Scott founded the city of Belton, Mo. Her maternal grandfather, Robert Cowan Wilson, was a banker and a prominent breeder of Anxiety IV Herefords. Her mother, Grace Wilson Van Brunt, was the founder of the Grace Company, a once famous company in Belton, known for its original children’s clothing. Margaret later became President of the Grace Company.
In Kansas City, MO, Margaret belonged to the Junior League and served at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery as Selections Chairman for the Board of Governors of the Friends of Art and as Assistant to the Director of the Education Department in charge of Docents. She was also appointed to the Kansas City Arts Commission by then Mayor Illus Davis. She also served as a Trustee at The Sunset Hill School.
Margaret was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she served on the Altar Guild. She designed a complete set of Liturgical Vestments for St. Paul’s Church to be used for the new Liturgy.
Both Margaret and Julian became active members of the Holy Faith Episcopal Church when they moved to Santa Fe in 1989. With a lifelong passion for reading, Margaret worked in the Church Library for many years.
She and Julian have three daughters: Ann Rymar Johnson, wife of Bradford McClure Johnson of Shawnee Mission Kansas, Gracen Rymar Fraser wife of Gary Galante of New Rochelle, NY and Gibson Rymar Wilkes wife of Blake Wilkes of Falmouth, Maine and six grandchildren; Allie Wilkes Matthews wife of Walker Matthews of Portland ME, Caroline Wilkes Nealy wife of Mark Nealey of Seattle, WA, Nick Fraser of Montclair NJ, Emily Fraser of New Rochelle NY, Maren Johnson and Ford Johnson both of Shawnee Mission, KS and “special Swiss daughter” Magrit Vettiger of Forch Switzerland.
Margaret is also survived by Brigadier General Richard Taylor Drury of Lakeway, Texas, Suzanne Seyfried of Salt Lake City Utah, Sue Scott Eversull of Shawnee Mission, Ks.
Margaret’s Family would like to express our immense gratitude to Margaret’s loving and devoted caregivers; Patty Swartz, Rocio Rodriguez, Ruth Chavez, Mary Louise Sanchez and Celina Maez. Margaret always referred to them as her Santa Fe Family and she loved them dearly.
A Mass of the Resurrection in Celebration of Margaret’s life will be held at Holy Faith Church of Santa Fe on Monday March 12 at 11:00 am. Burial will be at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM.

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