Margaret O. Haines passed away on January 29, 2026, at Valley Vista Care Center in St. Maries, ID.  She was born on December 23, 1936, in Tulare, CA to Ted and Hope Zamarripa.  She was the oldest of four girls.

Margaret married Fred Haines and they settled in San Jose, CA where Fred was a cabinet maker and she was a home maker, raising 5 children, her last being born right after she turned 22.  The family moved to Harrison, ID in 1964 so Fred could start his own business building custom cabinets.  Margaret became his only employee, sanding and staining the finished products.

She was a prolific Mexican cook, and she was employed at The Gateway restaurant in Harrison for a few summers.  In the early 1980’s she and Fred moved to Florence, AZ where she again began cooking at a Mexican restaurant. 

They returned to St. Maries, ID where Fred re-established his cabinet making business and Margaret began working as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Valley Vista Care Center.  They lost their home and most of their possessions in the historic flood of 1996.  Fred passed away soon after and she moved into a new home in town and retired in 2000.

Never a social butterfly, her retirement was spent reading books, watching movies, and cheering on her favorite football team, the Oakland Raiders.  For a time, she sold her homemade enchiladas from her kitchen for anyone wanting to experience the excellent food she had made at the Gateway.  Her home was filled with Elvis Presley memorabilia, from clothing to cookware to Elvis paintings, lamps, books, and teddy bears.  The only item she seemingly did not have was a pair of those “Blue Suede Shoes”.

Her claim to fame was the fact that despite having 5 children, she never learned to drive a car.  Her husband or friends would take her for marathon grocery shopping trips until her children in turn would get their licenses and could then take her wherever she needed to go.

Margaret is survived by her children Midge Haines of St. Maries, Teresa (Tim) Kraack of Harrison, and Ray Haines of St. Maries; sisters Olivia Sanchez and Sally Ruiz of California.  Also surviving are her 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren with one on the way, 2 great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is pre-deceased by her parents in California, her husband Fred, son Fred L. Haines, and daughter Sandra Haines all who were of St. Maries.  Also passing before her were her sister and brother-in-law Tony and Ann Lopez and her brother-in-law Eddie Ruiz.

Words cannot express how much we loved and will miss our beautiful mother.

At her request there will be no services.  She will be interred this summer in the Harrison Cemetery along with her husband and daughter.