Margaret M. (Walsh) Bancroft, 86
Margaret M. (Walsh) Bancroft, 86, formerly of Mattapoisett died peacefully March 6, 2026 at Sacred Heart Home after a period of declining health.
Born September 9, 1939 in New Bedford, the daughter of James J. and Agnes (McGrath) Walsh, she married David A. Bancroft, her high school sweetheart. They started their married life near Buttonwood Park in New Bedford's West End. In 1974, they moved to Mattapoisett to raise their family. She was a communicant of St Anthony's Church in Mattapoisett.
Margaret was proud of her parents Newfoundland heritage and enjoyed visiting the various Cape Shore communities they hailed from on the Avalon Peninsula.
She was a lover of "going to the beach". She could be found almost every day in the summer either sitting in the sun or quahogging at Shining Tides Beach in Mattapoisett. Beach chairs, chowder and stuffed quahogs were a family summer staple.
Known as Maggie or Margie to some and Margo to others, she had a spitfire personality and a huge sense of humor. She enjoyed playing a practical joke as much as having one played on her. She found ways to ease the pressure in tense situations. She was an outgoing and approachable personality that made people feel relaxed, comfortable and at ease. She had a sensitivity to realizing someone in a group was not feeling comfortable and helping them navigate the landscape. Maggie was someone you could talk to in confidence and knew it wasn't going any further. She had a knack for taking people under her wing and letting them know everything was going to be alright.
Maggie was an enormous lover of animals, especially her dogs. There was always a menagerie of different creatures that became a part of the family. Her husband always feared one day he might come home and find a horse taking up residence in the family room.
Maggie was a voracious reader and lover of books. Her passion for reading started at a young age. She organized, introduced the Dewey Decimal System and served as librarian at Holy Family Grammar School when her children were enrolled there. That passion continued into the library room she had built at her home in Mattapoisett.
Later in life she had the ability to travel to Switzerland and the alpine countries, Scandinavia, the Baltic region and Russia. She took herself on a transatlantic cruise. She always enjoyed spending time with her children in the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, other Caribbean Islands and skiing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Margaret instilled in her family the importance of education and striving to do your best in whatever endeavor you undertook. She also believed you should be proud of your accomplishments but never forget where you came from and never think you are better than someone else. She was quick to call you out if she thought you got "to big for your britches".
Survivors include her son David J. Bancroft and husband John M. Nickulas of Kennebunkport, Maine; her daughter Robin L. Bancroft of Fairhaven, MA; a sister Joan M. Vlcek of Fairhaven, MA; her sisters-in-law Mary Ann Bancroft, and Irene Bancroft; her brother-in-law John Bancroft and his wife Carol Bancroft of Dartmouth, MA; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband David A. Bancroft who died in 2005 who she shared 43 years of marriage; her son Michael A. Bancroft who died in 1996 at the age of 26; her sisters Alice C. Walsh, Elizabeth Vera and Catherine Perkins; brother-and-sisters in-law Lawrence Vera, Joseph Vlcek, Arthur and Claire Bancroft; William and Jeanne Bancroft; Robert and June Bancroft; Paul Bancroft; Richard and Eleanor Bancroft; James and Connie Bancroft and Donald Bancroft
Her children would like to extend tremendous thanks and gratitude to the staff at both the Residence at Cedar Dell and Sacred Heart Home who showed love and care for her these past years.
Visiting Hours will be held on WEDNESDAY March 11th from 4-7 PM. Her Funeral will be held on FRIDAY March 13th at 9 AM from Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park Street, New Bedford, followed by her Funeral Mass at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 121 Mt Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA at 10 AM. A private burial will follow at the family plot in Riverside Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made online or via check to the Louis T Graves Memorial Library, 18 Maine Street, PO Box 391, Kennebunkport, ME 04046, or the Pan-Mass Challenge - Jimmy Fund, 77 4th Avenue, Needham, MA 02494.
