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Many staff, particularly in Entomology and Nematology Departments, were shocked and saddened to learn of Margaret Jones' sudden death during Monday night.
Margaret was a remarkable women with many interest, to each of which she brough her own brand of infectious enthusiasm. After early studies on bean aphids at Cambridge, her entomological skills were not publicly reveal until she and 'Freddie' jointly wrote their book 'Pests of Field Crops', published in 1964, the by-product of a happy partnership that had already produced four talented children.
As family commitments lightened, opportunities for Margaret to develop her research abilites increased, and in 1963 she joined Entomology Department as a part-time worker. For 15 years, working largely for sure pleasure and often for many more hours than required, she established herself as an authority on the fauna of cereal fields. Her first studies on wheat bulb fly gradually widened to cover the biology of ceral aphids and especially their predators and parasites. Much of her knowledge was acquired the hard but rewarding way, on hands and knees in Broadwalk or Stackyard; many staff will racall seeing a small but jubilant figure emerge from the crop, pooter packed with specimens, to be patiently identified during the winter to produce data for a stream of valuable papers.
It is particularly sad that Margaret should die so soon after Freddie's "official" retirement, with many plans still unfulfilled. Happily, since November they had the opportunity of spending several months in Australia, but within a few days of her return Margaret was back in the Department helping to identify parasites, and was cheerfully doing this as recently as Monday morning.
In addition to all this scientific work she found time for many other public-spirited activities, especially the care of Harpenden through the Harpenden Trust.
She will be greatly missed by many friends and colleagues. We extend our deep sympathy to Freddie and the children.
T.L.
Reproduced with the permission of Rothamsted Research.
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