Margaret Ann Beightol

Margaret Ann Beightol, 93, of Franklin passed away the afternoon of Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at Oakwood Heights, Oil City.

Ann was born July 18, 1930 during the Great Depression to the late Damond M. and Geraldine Slaughenhaupt Barlow.

Ann was a 1948 graduate of Franklin High School, which was at that time located on Otter Street. She met the love of her life, Kenneth E. Beightol, at Baptist Youth Fellowship Group. They were married right after Ann’s graduation on June 12, 1948.

Ann was always active in the community starting with Rainbow Girls as a teen and later as a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she held various officer positions. She also helped out for many years on the election board and was a member of the Women's Club. For years, she helped to organize her FHS class reunions. She has always been an active member of the First Baptist Church and served as the financial secretary for 30-plus years.

Ann worked in various clerical roles before finding a career at the PennDOT district office, which she considered her favorite job. She and her sister, Nancy, worked in the same department, Permits.

Ann always enjoyed traveling and ventured to all but three of the United States, with Alaska being her favorite trip. She took many bus trips, several cruises and traveled abroad to England, Scotland and Ireland. She regretted never making it to Germany or France. Ann also enjoyed going to amusement parks and was still riding roller coasters in her 70s with her grandchildren at Disney World.

Ann always had a love of shopping and was a regular at The Fashion and Printz’s back in the day. Later she was a regular at The Hallmark stores in Franklin and at the Cranberry Mall. She was also fond of collecting many things including stamps, coins, glassware and Wade figurines. She had a Beanie Baby collection that exceeded 800 animals (which she never realized until she decided to part with them!).

Ann loved to go to the movie theater and cataloged hundreds of movies she had rented over the years. Ann was always an avid reader and always preferred a hardback book over her Kindle. Prior to moving to Oakwood Heights, Ann lived with her son, Randy and his wife Cheri and especially enjoyed the company of their dog, Molly. Ann loved games, puzzles, and never missed a day solving the daily crossword puzzle in The News Herald.

Ann is survived by her four children, Randy (Cheri) of Franklin, Ruth Ann (Joe) Cangemi of Oil City, Rob (Genice) Beightol of Crystal River, FL and Martha (Bob) Shreffler of Venus, PA. Also surviving are nine grandchildren; Melissa (David) Alley and Michelle (Chris) Burchanowski of Franklin, Michael Cangemi of Oil City, Matthew (Dena) Cangemi of Tempe, AZ, Mark (Kalie) Cangemi, Kayla (Cory) Sherman, and Eric (Adrian) Hoover of Oil City, Alycia (Toby) Sliker of Franklin, and Kristen Shreffler of Oil City; eleven great-grandchildren, Kade Dennis, Brooklyn and Bennett Burchanowski, Ethan and Ella Sherman, Ava and Austin Cangemi, Abigail, Kennedy, and Lucas Sliker, and Oliver Hoover; Her sister, Nancy Griffen, and her niece and nephew, Mary Ann Hubert (Michael Downes) and Bill (Ann) Heffern.

Ann was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ken, her parents, and a brother in-law, Joe Griffen.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff at Oakwood Heights for the care and compassion provided to Ann.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Huff-Guthrie Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc., 312 West Park Street, Franklin where friends and family are welcome from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. Thursday, March 14.

The Morris Chapter #14 of Eastern Star will hold a service for their departed sister at 8:00 P.M. Thursday in the funeral home. 

Funeral services will be held in the funeral home chapel on Friday at 1:00 P.M. with Rev. Randy Powell of First Baptist Church officiating.

Interment will be made in the Franklin Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Visiting Nurses Association of Venango County at 491 Allegheny Blvd, Franklin PA 16323 or to Oakwood Heights Village, 10 Vo-Tech Drive, Oil City PA 16301

Online condolences, flowers or sympathy cards may be sent to his family by visiting www.huffguthrie.com