Margaret S. Bustard was born April 13, 1920, in Neoga, Il the daughter of Clarence and Lockie Swengel.

She graduated from Urbana Senior High School, Urbana, Il in 1938 and received a BA and MA in English from the University of Illinois.  Margaret taught for 40 years, starting her career teaching in high school in Auburn, IL.  She taught from day care during WWII in Detroit, MI, to college level both at the University of Illinois, Urbana, and at the University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.  She also taught in Oxnard and Martinez, CA.  She married John M. Bustard in 1955 in Berkeley, CA. He was the principal of Martin Luther King, Jr Elementary School in Urbana, IL (1965-1980).  The Bustards returned to Illinois in 1958, and Margaret taught at Jefferson Junior High School, Central High School, and Booker T. Washington Elementary School in the Champaign, IL, school system until her retirement in 1980.

Her main focus during her long teaching career was teaching children how to read and preparing teachers on how to teach reading. Margaret became a member of the Baha'i Faith in the late 1930's in Urbana, IL, and worked at the National Baha'i Center in Wilmette, IL, during the late 1940's and again from 1980 to 1985 with her husband, John.  She served on Spiritual Assemblies in Urbana Il, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Hot Springs. Throughout her long life, she strived to achieve the principles of the Baha'i Faith of oneness of the world of humanity and how to form deep and diverse relationships and build communities that nurture the well-being of all. One of her favorite hobbies was quilt making, and she was a member of several quilt guilds: The Blue Onion Quilt Guild in Glenview, IL, Illini Country Stitchers in Champaign Il and Hot Springs Quilt Guild, Hot Springs, AR. Her quilts have been displayed at multiple quilt shows.  Margaret was always interested in teaching others about various types of handicrafts and needlework, especially hand quilting techniques.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John M Bustard; parents, Clarence and Lockie Swengel; sister, Vivian Smith, and brother, Edwin "Mac" Swengel.

She is survived by her daughter, Marian R Bustard of Hot Springs, AR; son and daughter-in-law James and LeeAnn Bustard of Mahomet, IL; granddaughters, Lauren Belanger of Mahomet, IL, and Alison Shubert of Troy, Il and her four great-grandchildren, Lydia, Madeline, Logan, and Grace.

Her earthly body was laid to rest in September. 27, 2018, at Friendship Cemetery, Hot Springs, AR.

A memorial service will be Saturday, October 20, 2018, at 1:00 PM at the Atrium of Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Science, National Park College, Hot Springs, AR.

The guest registry is at http://www.cariganmemorial.com .

Arrangements are entrusted to Carrigan Memorial Funeral Services.