Home

Margie Jean McArthur (nee MacNaughton) passed away on November 4, 2022, after prolonged illness. Margie entered this world on October 2, 1947, was born and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee, and was the youngest of three children. 

She attended Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, TN, and earned a degree in biology from the University of TN with a focus on identifying plants native to the Smoky Mountains and microbiology. She was a devoted fan of the Tennessee Volunteers and every chance she got, would request anyone and everyone to sing the UT fight song, “Rocky Top”.

Her microbiology training led to her first job in biotech, at Cutter in Chattanooga, TN. She quickly rose through the ranks and was offered an opportunity to relocate to Berkeley in the mid-70s. She contributed to the biotech industry for nearly 35 years with a focus on compliance and quality control, retiring from Genentech in 2007.

She married Peter Vasilevsky in 1976, and they raised three children: Nicole and Michael (twins), and Steve in Moraga, CA. The Vasilevsky family had many pets, including 7 cats, 2 dogs, a rat, a gecko, and even a few mice that only were allowed to stay for a few hours before Margie made her daughter return them to the pet store. Margie loved her kids and was the most generous and loving mother and grandmother. 

Margie remarried in 1998 to Pete McArthur, and a unified family was formed with her three kids and his two sons, Nate and Chad. Travel was a passion for Pete and Margie, and she was fortunate to visit 48 states and approximately 40 countries. She was a Francophile and was proud of her French-speaking abilities, although she lamented that Parisians always seemed unimpressed. Always up for social activities, Margie maintained a close group of friends, thoroughly enjoyed playing bridge, and was always up for singing along to a piano player.

After retiring, Pete and Margie lived aboard a boat, the Tennessee Breeze, in San Diego Bay for several years. An accomplished water skier in her youth, being on the water was a lifelong love. They returned to the San Francisco Bay area in 2012 to be closer to family and friends and gain a bit more elbow room; finding a comfortable condo in Rossmoor. Margie was active in the Rossmoor tap dance club and would “shuffle ball change” their way around town in sparkly outfits to the delight of residents.

In 2000, Margie was diagnosed with breast cancer, which began a long duration of bouts with cancer and other illnesses. Against all odds, she survived pancreatic cancer and two additional breast cancer diagnoses. In spite of this, she remained positive, perseverant, and was always quick to sing!

Margie is predeceased by her brother Bob, and parents Bill and Caroline. She is survived by her husband, Pete; brother Jimmy and his wife Yumiko; daughter, Nicole and her husband Aran and grand-kitties Frankie and Maizie; sons, Mike and Steve; step-son Nate; step-son Chad, his wife Kristina and grand-daughters Lauren, Anna, and Addy and grand-dog, Mack. 

Please cheer for Tennessee in her memory, go Vols!