Margit Elizabeth Ohrnell Giles went to be with the Lord on March 13, 2020. She was 89. Born February 11, 1931, in Chicago, IL, she was the only child of the late Arvid Carl Ohrnell of Vadstena, Sweden, and Astrid Anna Larson Ohrnell of Vendel, Sweden.

Margit grew up in Ballard, Washington, until 12 years old, when she moved to Monroe, where her father was a chaplain at the state penitentiary. She grew up speaking Swedish to her parents and in their community, though her fluency waned with age and distance. She graduated from Monroe High School in 1948 as valedictorian. She graduated from (then) Seattle Pacific College, with a BA in Home Economics. She obtained her Masters degree in Home economics from the University of Illinois at Champagne. In an Intervarsity group there, she met Fredrick Harvey Giles, Jr, who was obtaining his PhD, and they married in August of 1956.

After a year at Bowling Green State University, Fred and Margit moved to West Columbia, SC, where Fred accepted a position of associate professor of Physics at the University of South Carolina. They designed and built a home close to the Saluda River, not far from the current Botanical Gardens. It was truly a mid century modern design and retained its uniqueness until remodeled in 2001. Many people were welcomed - visited, ate, and/or slept - in that house over the years. In 1965, the couple and their three young children moved to Baghdad, Iraq, where Fred was a Fulbright Professor and did research and taught at the University of Baghdad for two years. Margit taught English. In 1967, they returned to their home, with Fred continuing in his role at USC and Margit teaching home-economics at Brookland Cayce High School.

Margit loved all kinds of people, and she loved to entertain. Any visitors at the small church she attended would be invited home for Sunday dinner. Many students from the university and the friends of her children would visit often. She was an excellent hostess and cook, and she applied her home ec training well, with warmth and compassion. When Margit was 42 years old, her husband and the father of her children passed, so she became a working single mom. She leaned into her task of rearing her children, depending on the Lord, who enabled her well. She had a faithful community of friends and neighbors. She attended and took her children to church, and she was always involved in her community there. She creatively rose to whatever occasion presented itself, and she was cheerfully resourceful in meeting needs as they arose. When her third child headed off to college, she began the arduous process of obtaining a doctorate degree. She completed her EdD from Nova Southeastern University in 1993. She continued to teach at Brookland Cayce High School until her retirement in 1996, at which point, Margit spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand, teaching, and then a year in Singapore, as the interim principal of an international Christian School. Upon returning to West Columbia, she enjoyed a season of traveling, entertaining, and generally being involved in others' lives. The end of her life saw her declining physically and mentally. She lived out her last years with her daughter and family, dying peacefully at home. She lived a full life in the power of the Lord, and she is where she has wanted to be for years - with Him.

She is predeceased by her parents and husband. She is survived by her 3 children - David Giles (Susan) of West Hartford, CT, Billy Giles (Patty) of West Columbia, and Victoria Andes (Scott) of West Columbia, as well as 7 grandchildren - Mary Caroline Giles, Daniel Giles, David Giles, Jr., Elizabeth Giles, Nathan Andes, Amy Andes, and Diana Andes.

Margit donated her body to the USC School of Medicine. A private family memorial service will be held due to recent COVID-19 concerns. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Gideons, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN, 37214.

The family is grateful for the competent, compassionate, and amazingly swift services of the Lighthouse Hospice staff in the last few months of Margit's life. They made the difficult level of care transitions as seamless as possible, even on weekends and evenings.