Beloved teacher honored with surprise birthday party

“Birthday Girl” Margaret Heggins Margaret Heggins of Jewett was honored Tuesday with a surprise birthday party organized by Patsy Randle, Josephine Randle and Linda Amos -- friends and former students of the veteran teacher. Ms. Heggins taught 4th, 5th and 6th grades at Buffalo’s G.B. Bennett School from 1952-60.

The celebration was held at the Buffalo Senior Center after Tuesday’s AARP meeting, and Ms. Heggins was caught totally off-guard.

Days after the party there was still a smile in her voice when Margaret described the event. “Oh, I was SO surprised! I had heard Linda Woodson talking about a meeting, and when I got in there and they started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ -- I was shocked! Josephine had called some of my cousins and they were there -- and THAT was shocking, too.” She concluded, “Linda Amos had told me months ago that she was going to do something for my birthday... but I hoped she had forgotten about it!”