In Loving Memory of MARGO MILLER – Timeless and Elegant

“A heart of gold, a smile of joy, a kindness that extended to all she knew. That was Margo.”

When I hear that someone recently passed away, I ponder, “what did they accomplish in the days they were given? How were they successful?” For some, success is measured by the amount of money in their bank account or the number of people who know their name. When I look back on my mother’s life, her legacy is filled with both personal and professional achievements. Margo certainly achieved a great deal of material success in her lifetime. What I find most admirable aboaut my mother is how she used that success to impact her community as well as her loved ones.
My mom was very creative, ambitious, and forward thinking. During the 1970’s, Margo began to forge a path for herself through a terrain still riddled with bias and gender discrimination. She would implement ideas gleaned from what she was taught to her when she was young under her aunt’s care. As one keen to listen to others and to learn and take notice, she earnestly pursued her dream, which would unfold into more than she had ever envisioned. She would be the first to say, her many mentors and supporters along the way were pillars to her success. Many times, we tend to admire someone who we perceive as successful, but we often fail to recognize the journey it took for them to actually arrive. I want to take you behind the unchartered and exciting scenes of my mom’s life. She was a great mother, sister, wife, grandma, friend and a successful entrepreneur.
Margo was born in Granby, Canada. Her mother passed away due to complications of childbirth a month after my mom was born. Sometime afterward, her father remarried, Marie-Berthe Leduc who loved her like her mom would have. Margo would always praise her stepmom as a courageous, generous, kind and hard-working woman. When her father died, Marie-Berthe was thirty-two years old, a widow with six children. She raised all 6 children with love and was an example of hard work, generosity and courage. At 15 years old, Margo found herself in the care of her mother’s sister, Elsie. Elsie would turn out to be Margo’s greatest influence in both etiquette and fashion. As a mother figure, she taught Margo to sew and provided her a home in the historical Brownie Castle in Grandy, Quebec.
My mom met my dad George De Seve, who secured employment in California and flew Margo out to join him in marriage. Living in an apartment in both Burbank and Glendale, Margo set her eyes on the up and-coming community of Valencia. My parents purchased a home during the 1st phase development. My mom assured the loan officer that she would sew clothes and drapes, in order to qualify for the loan and would have no additional expenses. She transformed style, fashion, and community into a lifelong career and passion. She often shared about how she would dream as a young girl of being surrounded by beauty. Her hard-work and commitment would surpass even her own expectations. She loved life, adventure, and most of all people. In the 1970’s she served on the PTA and soon became President. She also served on the Adoption Guild. Margo fostered 9 children, 3 of whom were grafted into our family. She quietly became a mentor, and we continue to hear how she positively impacted the lives of many and helped them to grow and flourish.
Later, my mom took a job at a fitness gym called Figure Form, located in the Plaza Posada, in Newhall. You have heard the phrase…Right place at the right time? Turns out working at a fitness gym opened another door that she never expected, when she was approached by a person named Aggie Lewis. Aggie had just opened a women’s retail store in the Plaza Posada and she asked Mom to work for her. Margo would soon become co-owner, a role that would utilize all the knowledge gained during her time with Aunt Elsie. This would be an important step on the road to accomplishing a dream she was not yet aware she harbored.
After two years, Aggie decided to sell her partnership. The store became Margo’s. There comes a time in everyone’s life when opportunity comes knocking. My mom answered with enthusiasm. Margo was ready to roll the dice. She took a second loan out on our home and went to work. She created her own logo for the store and became a brand name in her community. Margo had style and knew how to dress women from head to toe. She surrounded herself with women who shared her passion. These women became trusted employees and lifelong friends. She was wise and fearless-always eager to learn from others and more than willing to take risks. She met mentors along the way and her willingness to listen served her well. Everything she did was done with purpose and precision. She wanted customers to come to the store, not just to shop, but for an experience and to leave feeling fabulous! Customer Service was Margo’s priority to her patrons, and it showed.
As the eighties arrived and the presence of women in the workforce grew so did Margo’s vision for her boutique. Margo sought to make her store a destination for independent, career-driven women. To expand her brand, she partnered with non-profits and began doing fashion shows. These shows reached other areas of business and customers outside of the Santa Clarita Valley. Margo’s became synonymous with high-end fashion.
When the nineties arrived, Margo had one more entrepreneurial thought. Her store had clothing and a make-up station, but she wanted to provide more services. She decided to expand the store and add a make-up studio, a nail and pedicure studio, a hair salon, and an on-site tailor. Margo’s became a one-stop destination. I remember working for my mom and in the early morning hours, customers were getting to their hair styled, nails were being done, make-up was being applied, and people were picking up their tailored clothes. Not only did I witness the dream Margo had accomplished, but I also saw women in every business sector accomplishing their dreams as well. During this time Margo’s name was known throughout the LA Mart in Los Angeles. This was the place where business owners went to meet and buy from their vendors. I had the opportunity to accompany Margo and experience how she worked. When Margo entered a room, she did it with grace and elegance. I often heard coworkers and clients announce her arrival with the phrase: “The Queen is here”. Margo had accomplished all that her Aunt Elsie had hoped she would, and it was as almost as if she was walking beside her, holding her hand.
It was a sad day for many people when Margo decided to close her store in 2010. She went on to start a non-profit business on Main Street in Newhall and then decided to retire.
I was talking to Linda Hafizi a close friend of Margo and the publisher of this magazine days after my mom’s death. She told me that recently, she was at a social function and was approached by a friend that said … “Where did you get that fabulous outfit?” Linda replied – Margo’s of course … her clothes are timeless!
Rest in peace Margo. You will be greatly missed by your family and friends.

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