Margaret Elizabeth O'Shea

May 31, 1944 - April 16, 2021

Margaret Elizabeth O'Shea May 31, 1944 - April 16, 2021 Margaret Elizabeth O'Shea (Maggie) passed away on Friday April 16, 2021 from a sudden lost battle with cancer. Maggie was born a multi-generational member of the Corvallis Community. She was known and loved by so very many. She was the daughter and first born for her mother, Ellen Ida O'Shea (Mahr) and her father, Charles Stewart O'Shea. She later also shared the love of a younger brother, Patrick Michael O'Shea, who preceded her in death on March 15, 1987. Maggie's first marriage to William Phillips yielded two prized sons: Joseph Bryan Phillips born on October 18, 1966 and Jason Mathew Phillips born on March 12, 1969. Following a rather brief first marriage, Maggie returned to her hometown in Corvallis as a determined single mother (holding one toddler on each hip) where she attended and graduated from Oregon State University as an undergraduate in Social Sciences and later received a master’s degree in Counseling Services. Maggie then embarked on a long and successful 50-year career in social services where she thrived and relished in what would become life-long mission of helping and caring for the needs of others. She worked far more than a decade as a counselor and later as a Program Manager for the Comprehensive Youth Program within the Community Services Consortium where she served socially and economically disadvantage youth and then later Maggie served as a three county Regional Manager of CSC's Youth and Adult Employment and Training Services. In the mid-1980's, Maggie was recognized nationally receiving an Award as a leader and manager of a department that developed nationally innovative programs that (above all) uniquely and centrally served the core needs of her agency clients. On May 15, 1982, Maggie married David J. Davis, also a longtime Corvallis resident and first-born son of Muriel and Jack Davis, also of Corvallis. The marriage between Maggie and David quickly lead to the birth of a third son, Jacob Tyler Davis, born on November 22, 1982. All three sons loved competing (at a very high level of excellence) in baseball, basketball and football throughout their elementary and High School years. Maggie and David could always be found somewhere in the bleachers proudly supporting the success of their boys. The centrality and importance of family was deeply seated within Maggie. Maggie also possessed a rare personal skill of nurturing and sustaining very close and lasting friendships. As a result, Maggie's life was enriched immeasurably by many as she in turn enriched the lives of many as well. In 1985, Maggie retired from working for larger social service agencies and chose instead to embark (with her husband David) to the calling of providing residential therapeutic foster care for at-risk teens within their own home (usually caring for 3-4 kids at a time, for 2-3 years at a time). "What these kids needed most, was some stability and constancy of care in their lives," she would say, as she worked with the unique attributes and needs of each child, all the while, holding a longer-range goal of helping each of them to find a path that led to the transition of independent living, upon their graduation from high school. In this manner, Maggie and David touched the lives of close to 80 children over the course of 20 years of providing foster care. Throughout most of Maggie's adult life, she was also a strong advocate and cultural agitator supporting the expansion of women's rights, civil rights and a variety of environmental concerns. Maggie also loved gardening and was an avid supporter and collector of art (particularly the works of local artists). She was also a long-time enthusiastic supporter and member of the Corvallis Arts Center including serving a couple of terms as a Board Member for the organization. Maggie evolved throughout her life and as she matured into middle age where she more formally adopted a conscious and deliberate dedication to the creation and preservation of "Truth, Beauty and Love". Certainly, those who knew and loved her will agree she certainly gave voice and expression to these important principles. She also prided herself as being - much like her mother - a strong and resilient woman of "pioneer stock". While her friends and family would certainly agree with such a description, they might just as likely describe Maggie more simply as was one hell of a "bad-ass woman". That she was. Maggie is survived by her husband (David), her three sons Joe, Jason and Jacob; Jason's wife, Kelly Phillips; and Jacob's, wife Brisa Jessup along with six beloved grandchildren Chayanne Phillips, Arabella Phillips, Jackie Phillips, Josie Phillips, and a most recent addition of two newborn twins; Nova and Cohen Davis). Maggie is also survived by her wonderful aunt Lavonne Geren, and her close cousins Becky Blackburn, Becky, Pam, Bruce and Bobby Stanbury and Guy Saghetti. Due to continuing cautions related to Covid, no public service or gathering has currently been planned in Maggie's honor. That said, friends and family remain committed to sponsoring a Celebration of Maggie's Life a bit later this summer (likely sometime in the latter weeks of July or the early part of August). For those wishing to extend personal condolences or share special tributes, or memories or photos honoring Maggie for her family and friends, please refer to the Obituary section of McHenry Funeral Home's website at: https://www.mchenryfuneralhome.com There you will find ample opportunities to submit or upload your expressions and sentiments to her personal Tribute Wall for all to see. We will also post the date and location of Maggie's Celebration of Life on this site as these plans become firmed up.