Margaret Odessa Taylor McCullom was born on December 13, 1924, in San Marcos, TX. She was the only child of Blanche and Frank Lee Taylor.

Margaret spent her childhood and teenage years between San Marcos, TX and San Antonio, TX and completed her elementary and junior high school education in San Marcos Public Schools and Los Angeles Heights Independent School District in San Antonio. She graduated from San Marcos Negro High School on May 14, 1942. Upon recommendation of the faculty, she was awarded a tuition-free scholarship to Phillip\'s Junior College for the 1942-1943 school year; however, she was unable to utilize this scholarship because she and her mother moved to California.

In December 1943, Margaret completed war production training in riveting and general assembly production through the Los Angeles Unified School District and went to work for North American Aviation as a riveter. While working at North American Aviation, a co-worker on the assembly line, Ruby Martin, introduced Margaret to a handsome young man from Laurel, Mississippi, Lee Virn McCullom. It was love at first sight. Lee Virn (L.V.), the 10th of 13 children, had come to California seeking work to improve himself rather than working on farms in Mississippi.

On November 1, 1944, Margaret and L.V. were married. Their union was blessed with three children: Kenneth, Margaret Lee Virn, and Joyce. With a growing family, Margaret went back to work temporarily to help make ends meet. Because she loved sewing, she found work as a seamstress at Hollywood Sportswear in downtown Los Angeles. Her temporary work led to a 20-year career as a seamstress at Hollywood Sportswear for 10 years and California Swimwear for 10 years.

Margaret was very artistic and talented with her hands. She could take ordinary things and turn them into beautiful works of art. She was a doting grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother whose home was always warmly open to her family and friends. Her greatest joy came in serving others.

Religion was very important to Margaret. She always reminded her family to put God first in their lives, and she led by example. She was a long-standing member of Crenshaw Christian Center where she enjoyed attending Bible study classes and Sunday worship services as well as participating in various other church related activities. For many years, she served as a personal ministry counselor and intercessory prayer warrior and was involved in community outreach. Margaret faithfully served the Helps Ministry and was a loyal member of the Bereavement and Highways & Byways committees.

In spite of the health challenges Margaret faced in her later years, she refused to be a prisoner of her challenges and fought to maintain her independence. She had an unbending faith that God would take care of her. She embraced life and left a legacy of courage, inner strength, dogged determination, faith and love.

On Wednesday, June 1, 2016, in the early morning stillness, Margaret quietly and peacefully slipped away to eternity to join her beloved husband, parents, and other loved ones. She leaves daughters, Margaret Lee Virn Griffie and Joyce Dixon (Howard); son, Kenneth McCullom (Gloria); sisters, Aryola Taylor and Prentiss Taylor and brother, Maurrell Taylor; granddaughters, Karen Nelson (John Robert), Stacy Odom (Kevin) and Tami Stanfield; grandsons, Eric Parker (Leticia), Phillipp Parker, Roshé Graham (Stephanie) and Steven McCullom; 17 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren; first cousins, Audrey Lee Burris and Linda Anthony; Mary Ann McCullom and other relatives and friends.