Margaret Dailey Temple

Margaret Dailey Temple was born on December 9, 1925, in Princeton, Arkansas. She was the youngest of nine children born to Will Dailey and Bertha House Dailey and became the last surviving member of her generation of the Will Dailey-House family lineage.

Margaret was raised in Princeton, a small, close-knit community where the Dailey family was highly respected among neighbors and friends. As a little girl, she united with Mount Zion AME Church, which became the central gathering place for the historic Dailey-House Family Reunion. The reunion was founded by her grandfather, Bill Dailey, in 1907 and remained an important part of Margaret’s life for generations.

From the age of six, Margaret considered herself a fashionista. She possessed an extraordinary creative gift: she could study a pattern, commit it to memory, and then create beautiful garments for herself, her sisters, other relatives, and friends. Her eye for fashion, elegance, and originality remained with her throughout her life.

In May 1942, Margaret married James Hunter, an educator at the Sparkman Training School. In 1950, the Hunter family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio. Margaret was determined that her children would not be confined to a life of picking cotton. She wanted to broaden their experiences, expose them to new opportunities, and introduce them to culture at an early age.

Mr. Hunter was a hardworking and devoted provider whose employment as an educator and with Railway Express afforded Margaret the opportunity to remain at home. She dedicated herself to the roles she treasured most, being a supportive wife and a loving, nurturing mother.

Although she lived in Cleveland, Margaret never forgot her Arkansas roots. She and her children spent many summers in Princeton, where they remained connected to family, tradition, and community. She seldom missed reunions. Margaret exposed her children to poetry, writing, museums, the arts, logical and independent thinking, and—most importantly—how to love and be loved. Margaret truly cared about the well-being of others. She maintained an open door for the friends of her children with many stories of her comforting, counseling and supporting them as if they were her own.

While living in Cleveland, Margaret became active in local politics as a grassroots organizer and a proud, devoted Democrat. Following the end of her marriage to Mr. Hunter, she moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1964. Margaret had once dreamed of becoming an actress, and although that dream was never fully pursued, she delighted in the sophistication, excitement, and Hollywood atmosphere of California. She attended many star-studded events and dressed the part.

Margaret loved to entertain and to be entertained. She enjoyed baseball, football, basketball and live stage performances. Her employment at the L.A. County Art Museum was a rewarding experience and enhanced her creativity and her appreciation for the arts greatly enriched her life. She worked for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and was a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, where she faithfully served as financial secretary.

While raising her family Margaret continued designing clothing for herself and many clients. Working from home as a professional seamstress she created original and ornate evening gowns, prom and wedding dresses. She was truly a creative force to be reckoned with. Margaret would not simply purchase one brooch—she would purchase two matching brooches and transform them into a stunning pair of earrings. She had the rare ability to look at ordinary things and envision something beautiful, fashionable, and entirely her own.

Along with fashion design, the arts, and a lively game of scrabble she enjoyed preparing for her grandchildren her signature savory pot of greens served with hot-water cornbread—a beloved Southern taste that followed her from Arkansas to Ohio and ultimately to the West Coast.

Margaret found love once again and married the handsome William Temple on January 30, 1999, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shortly thereafter, she returned to Arkansas and made her home in Little Rock. There, she continued her involvement in politics as a member of the Pulaski County Democratic Women.

Throughout the years, Margaret remained a longstanding pillar of the Dailey-House Family Reunion. She wrote poetry and scripts for reunion programs and was known for her philosophical reflections, sharp intellect, and deep appreciation for family history.

Margaret published a commemorative book celebrating the 90th Dailey-House Family Reunion. In a generous act that reflected her devotion to family and education, she used the proceeds from the sale of the book to establish the Margaret Dailey Temple Scholarship, now known as the Dailey-House Scholarship Fund.

Without question, Margaret was the number one fan of the Dailey-House Family Reunion. She served as an advisor for several years and proudly spoke about its history and enduring legacy. One of her favorite sayings was: “It’s a sorry frog that doesn’t praise its own pond.”

At the beautiful age of 100, on Thursday, August 13, 2026, Margaret surrendered her soul to the Lord. Her century of life leaves a lasting blueprint for what it means to be a phenomenal woman—a supportive wife, a nurturing mother, a creative visionary, a devoted family historian, and an independent thinker.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Will and Bertha House Dailey; her husband, William Temple; her daughter, Marva Hunter; and all nine of her siblings; Willie Dailey, Nathan Dailey, James Dailey, Victoria Williams, Alice Crawford, Sallie Burks, George Dailey and Andrew Dailey.

Her cherished memory will forever live in the hearts of her children, Pat Wartenberg, James A. Hunter Jr., Kay Hunter, and Mickey Hunter, all of Little Rock, Arkansas; six grandchildren, Mimi Leggett, Roosevelt Austin, Shaun Hunter, Eric Austin, Patrick King, and Brittani Lee; 17 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren and Dianne Williams her caregiver.

She also leaves a loving caravan of nieces and nephews, several cousins, extended family members, and countless others whose lives were enriched by her wisdom, creativity, generosity, strength, and unconditional love.