Margaret Gaunt Earthman

EARTHMAN, MARGARET GAUNT (1934 ~ 2005). Margaret Gaunt Earthman was born in Houston, Texas on August 4, 1934, to Richard Hay Gaunt and Mary Bond Gaunt.

Margaret graduated from Saint Agnes Academy and the University of Houston. She attended Galveston College where she majored in art and was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Her love for art prompted her business of antique dealing. Her shop, Eiband's Antique Gallery, is situated on Postoffice Street in Galveston.

Margaret also had a love for historic preservation which orginated in her serving on many boards and associations. Margaret was affiliated with the East End Historical District Association, an advisory board member of the Grand 1894 Opera House, the National Trust Council of Washington, D.C., the Galveston Historic Foundation's Menard Society, Director of the Friends of the Texas State Cemetery, Lady Washington Chapter Texas Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Oran M. Roberts Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Lafitte Society, and Friends of the Rosenberg Library. Margaret also served as a member on UTMB's President's Cabinet, Ronald McDonald House, and the American Cancer Society. In addition to historical preservation boards and medical affiliations, Margaret also concerted herself with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the Third Order of St. Dominic.

Because Margaret was so involved with the community, they returned the favor by bestowing numerous awards to her and her husband, James B. Earthman, III. In 2002, Margaret became the recipient fo the American Cancer Society's Honoree Award. The City of Galveston proclaimed May 23, 2002, as "Margaret Earthman Day" in her honor for her generosity towards the community. The Downtown Revitalization Committe bestowed the George P. Mitchell Award to Margaret. The Galveston Historical Foundation conferred upon Margaret the 1996 Phoenix Award. The Galveston Center for Transportation and Commerce favored Margaret with the 2000 Golden Lantern Award. The Historical Downtown Strand Partnership bestowed the 2001 Downtown Renaissance Hall of Fame Award to Margaret, and the Grand 1894 Opera House awarded the 2004 Galveston Community Enrichment Award to Margaret.

Margaret Earthman passed away on October 25, 2005, in Galveston, Texas at the age of 71. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery October 28, 2005.