Marguerite Marie Burrell passed away peacefully at home on June 14, 2026. Marguerite (known as Aunt Margo to family and Peggy to friends) was born on December 20th, 1933, in Newport Center, Vermont. She was the 6th of 7 children born to Laura Maheu and Leo Messier, French Canadians who immigrated to Vermont and raised Margo and her siblings on their family dairy farm. Margo attended school in Newport until 18, then struck off to secretarial school. At age 19, she arrived in Albuquerque, where one of her sisters lived with her family. Margo found a job and made friends, eventually finding and marrying the love of her life, Bernard Burrell. Their jobs took them to Massachusetts and Chicago and finally back to Albuquerque, where they both worked at Sandia National Labs. When Bernie died of a heart attack when Margo was only in her 30's, she relied on her deep faith and loving family, especially Mom Burrell. She discovered a wellspring of resilience and independence that marked the rest of her life. She went on to attend college at night and graduate, while still working at Sandia Labs. At Sandia, she found a fulfilling career and lifelong friends, and retired after more than 30 years of service.

Once retired, she began to adventure around the world, taking many trips with her siblings and with her dear friends Ginny Clark and Margaret Hawk. She safaried in Africa and scuba dived in Honduras, Belize, the Red Sea, and more. She traveled throughout Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. Back at home, she played golf, bowled, enthusiastically attended Lady Lobo basketball games and Popejoy productions, watched tennis, and enjoyed dining out with a large group of friends.

Margo also loved dogs, and over the years, friends connected her with dogs, particularly miniature schnauzers, in need of a home. Visitors to the house would be greeted by the happy yipping of the likes of Schnapps, JD, War Eagle, Clayton, and Myla. She spoiled these dogs and they responded with devotion and unconditional love. She made their lives great.

Margo was a brilliant conversationalist and genuinely curious about everyone she encountered. She engaged in meaningful small talk with all her neighbors, with grocery clerks, customer service telephone representatives, the mailman, people who helped at her house, and many passersby, and she remembered the details of their lives and related them to others. She made time for people and gave them her full, undivided, unhurried attention. She was deeply devoted to her family, keeping in close touch with every single one of her siblings for their, or her, entire lives. Long phone conversations with dozens of adoring nieces and nephews of various generations were a staple of her daily life for decades. She had a true gift for connecting with people, for making them feel heard and valued, for sharing stories and encouraging people to share theirs. She made the world less lonely for a great many people.

Though she had no children of her own, Margo helped to raise many of her nieces and nephews and their children, too. Her house was a place they could go when they needed rest or refuge or company. She hosted lively holiday meals for family and friends, invariably winning over the nervous new boyfriends and girlfriends of her family members who got invited to her house for Thanksgiving or Christmas. She was deeply kind and she spoke her mind. She generously hosted people overnight when they needed a place to stay. She was devoted to many people, and many people were devoted to her. She will be deeply missed.

Margo is survived by her sister Henriette Armstrong of Plymouth, MA, and her sister Claire Burlton of Newport Center, VT, along with dozens of nieces and nephews who miss her dearly. Her family would like to thank her care team from Nuclear Care Partners for the wonderful care they gave her over the last year of her life, especially Annie, Teresa, Debbie, Tabitha, Julie,Tess, Jessica, and Julianna.

Margo was a longtime parishioner at the Shrine of St. Bernadette. She was blessed and grateful for the regular visits by the parish deacons and Father Rick as her health declined. Her funeral mass will be at the Shrine of St Bernadette, on a date still to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico, the Shrine of St Bernadette St. Vincent de Paul Society conference, or a charity of your choice.