RIP maggiethecat

[Dave the Cook]

With great sadness, we note the passing of Margaret M. Rovai, or, as she was known around here, maggiethecat.

 

Maggie was one of our earliest members and cheerleaders. She wrote for, and edited the Daily Gullet, publishing and/or editing the early work of food-literature luminaries such as Tim Hayward, Joseph Carey, Monica Bhide, Todd Price, Andy Lynes, Janet Zimmerman, (the little-known fiction of )Jay Rayner, Nina Planck, Darra Goldstein and JJ Goode, among many others -- not the least herself, whose contributions stand among the best in the Daily Gullet offering. She also invented and judged the Daily Gullet Literary Smackdown.

 

To many of you, that all may sound like ancient history, and measuring in internet time, it is. But if you're reading this, you owe her an inestimable debt. eG is only here because amazing people like Maggie were around to make sure it happened.

 

For those of you who were not FB friends with Maggie, I'll add her daughter Honor's tribute:

 

Quote

Hi all this is Honor Rovai, Margaret’s daughter.

My mom passed away in Seattle on Sunday from complications of PSP, a neurological illness she was fighting for almost a decade.

I was with her holding her hands. Her grandchildren and son in law had just given her hugs, kisses and “I love yous.” We are happy she is at peace but of course very sad to lose her.

I know she was loved by so many, who may have known her best as Margaret, Muffy, Maggie the Cat, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Editor, Writer, Colleague. She was a woman of so many talents, so many enthusiasms, so much curiosity and feeling for the world and the people around her. I can say that she was a wonderful, supportive Mom and a caring and involved Nana to my girls. Funny and so smart, always. We have a long way to go to fully process everything her loss will mean to our family.

We will have a memorial service in the future, date and location to be determined.

 

RIP, Maggie.

[Anna N]

So very sad. RIP Maggie. 

[Alex]

So sad. I didn't know she was dealing with PSP. It's a nasty disorder, especially for someone who was as fiercely independent as she was. Dave, could you keep us posted about the memorial service?

[Dave the Cook]

20 minutes ago, Alex said:

Dave, could you keep us posted about the memorial service?

 

I will do my best.

[Shelby]

My goodness, yes, I remember her even though I joined later, I was a lurker person for years.  She was such a gifted writer.  I very much enjoyed her posts.  I'm so sorry about her illness.  Prayers for her family and friends.

 

[Katie Meadow]

So sad to hear this. With her recollections of Campbell's Scotch Broth, my mother's favorite, she inspired me to make my own from scratch  RIP Maggie.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Katie Meadow (log)

[C. sapidus]

Maggie the Cat was a presence and will be missed in her absence.

[heidih]

I did not really know her, but I respected amd enjoyed her writing and style. It is good to remember our roots and she was great root stock. 

[weinoo]

RIP.

[MetsFan5]

So incredibly sad— her contributions were amazing. RIP. 

[Kerry Beal]

She will be missed!

[FauxPas]

17 hours ago, Shelby said:

My goodness, yes, I remember her even though I joined later, I was a lurker person for years.  She was such a gifted writer.  I very much enjoyed her posts.  I'm so sorry about her illness.  Prayers for her family and friends.

 

 

Yes, this. Everything I could say. But Maggie the Cat was sleek and flexible, just like real cats.  

 

This lady was gracious. Fun. Entertaining. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by FauxPas (log)

[Mjx]

Thank you for posting this, Dave. No words for how sad this is.

[Maison Rustique]

A huge loss for her family, friends and all of us here at eG. Many condolences to all her family. 

[Smithy]

Oh, what sad news. I loved her contributions to eGullet and missed her when she left. RIP, Maggie.

[haresfur]

Maggie was wonderfully inspiring and really made eG great. I miss the Daily Gullet. It must have been a huge undertaking.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Maggie was a trouper.   I am very familiar with PSP as it took over the life of a close family member.    A cruel diagnosis.   Rest in well deserved peace, Maggie.

[gfron1]

Every time we lose one of these long-timers it hurts a bit more for our community. For me, it has always been the writing that attracted me to eG and I always enjoyed Maggie's.

[cdh]

Sad news. RIP Maggie.  She was definitely a fixture around here in the early days, and her contributions made eG what it has become.

[Priscilla]

I haven't met many kindred spirits, but Maggie was one, and I treasure having known her IRL, though it all began here on eG, of course. She was so smart, kind, sophisticated, cultured, elegant, funny, creative, open-minded, wise, worldly, that it surprised me when she once described herself as guileless, but I understood what she meant, and it made me consider the benefits of guilelessness in a whole new light. An ineffable loss, for her lovely family, the eG community, and the world.

[hsm]

May her memory be a blessing.

[Kim Shook]

Losing Maggie is so hard.  When I first joined eG, I admired her from afar - I was almost overawed by her writing and elegance.  Then I got to "know" her and loved her humor and tolerance and generosity.  I remember saying once that she and @racheld were who I wanted to be when I grew up.  Finally, she became a friend - she was so supportive when I was blogging and made me feel that I really could put words together and mean something.  I loved hearing about her family and her Lou and Honor.  No one was more thrilled than Maggie to become a grandmother.  She seemed to draw people and love to her.  I will miss my friend a lot.