Mary Margaret Savino

Margaret Mary Savino passed away on November 11, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She was the cherished wife of 46 years to Robert Hoopes; devoted mother of Mary Hoopes (Brent Nakamura) and AnnaLise Hoopes; beloved sibling to Anthony, Tim, and Vivian; and proud grandmother to Owen, Robert, and Emilia Nakamura. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vivian (Brady) Savino, Henry Savino, aunts and uncles including her “second mom” Mary Savino, and late brothers Henry and Patrick. 

She grew up in Chicago, attended Mount Mary College, and worked as a pediatric occupational therapist (OT) at University of Illinois Medical Center. As a member of the faculty, she supervised the Pediatric OT 100-bed Teaching Unit. This involved instructing OT students, caring for patients, and developing new OT programs like infant play in high-risk nurseries. Margaret worked with terminally ill children, which was both challenging and healing, as she had lost her brother to leukemia at an early age. In her policy work, she advocated for a more patient-centered approach to care, especially for those who were terminally ill.

Margaret earned her Ph.D. in health policy and evaluation from Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology, and did her doctoral research in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where she lived with Robert for four years.

Margaret and her family later moved to Rhinelander. Margaret was a professor of philosophy and ethics, with a focus on biomedical ethics, and led program planning and evaluation for the college and local schools. She frequently received letters from former students whose lives she had profoundly touched.

Margaret was a gifted artist, poet, world traveler, and humanitarian. Her paintings and photographs were exhibited in various shows, including one in Berlin, Germany. During her travels, she met both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict. She also managed to connect with her relatives in Italy and Poland, and enjoyed beautiful visits to their homes with Robert, AnnaLise, and Mary.

Margaret was extraordinarily compassionate and had a gift for human connection. She reached out to people of all walks of life, wherever she found them. It was not uncommon for her to engage an elderly person alone in a coffee shop in conversation, and, upon leaving the shop, pay for their coffee and pastries for the next week. She befriended children and elderly folks in need throughout her time in Bolivia — providing food, medical care, and companionship.  

Above all, Margaret was the most devoted mother and grandmother imaginable. Margaret simply didn’t miss a thing that mattered to her children — she was there for each joy and heartbreak. Both of her girls cherished talking to her every day, and will miss the sound of delight in her voice whenever they called. In 2020, Margaret and Robert moved to California to be near them. Margaret’s experience as an OT made her a true baby whisperer who taught Mary how to be a mom.

Margaret’s profound wisdom, whimsical sense of humor, and unrelenting affection will be sorely missed. She instilled in her daughters the belief that their purpose was to leave the world better than they found it, and for this they remain forever grateful. 

Margaret’s funeral will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Driggs, Idaho, Church in Driggs, Idaho, with visitation from 10-11:20 a.m. at the Grand Teton Funeral Home. Please visit https://www.grandtetonfuneralhomedriggs.com/obituaries for details.