Margaret Isabel Feener

Margaret Isabel Feener (“Meg”) passed away unexpectedly on January 29, 2025 at the age of 65. Meg was born to Donald Holt Feener and Margaret (Peggy) McFarland Feener on Halloween, October 31, 1959 in the San Fernando Valley, just 2 months after the Feener family move from the Boston area to Los Angeles. She was the youngest and only California native of the four Feener children, who include her brothers Donald and David and her sister Nancy. Meg attended Nevada Elementary School, Columbus Junior High School and Chatsworth High School. While in high school she joined the drama club and participated in several play productions. Her classmates and fellow dramatists included the Hollywood stars Val Kilmer, Kevin Spacey, Stepfanie Kramer and Mare Winningham. While still in high school Meg, along with other members of the drama club, had the opportunity to visit the original Globe Theater in England and attend a several plays in Paris, France. It turned out to be a trip of a lifetime for Meg and her only visit overseas. The independent film Shakespeare High (2011) documents the unique and intense world of drama Meg experienced in high school. After graduating from Chatsworth High School in 1977, Meg attended Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills, before transferring to California State University at Northridge where she obtained a B.S. degree in Business Management in 1987.

Meg had several major health struggles throughout her life. As a child she had a speech impediment which sometimes made it difficult for her to carry on a conversation. In the speech therapy for her impediment Meg was diagnosed with a reading/learning disability. This disability was later diagnosed as dyslexia. In her early teens she had the lens in one of her eyes removed after it developed cataracts. This, of course, made reading even more difficult. Despite these difficulties, Meg had a happy childhood, due in large measure to the loving and caring family environment provided her parents, Don and Peggy. Growing up, Meg showed an early interest the dramatic arts by setting up plays with her dolls (including Barbie and her pals). Later on, she recruited the family dog Whiskers in her plays by dressing her up in clothes and teaching her how to push a small baby carriage around on her hind legs. After Whiskers give birth to her daughter Sarah, Meg replaced the doll in the baby carriage with Sarah. Meg loved animals and the Feeners had a succession dogs and cats mostly at her encouragement.

After graduating from CSUN Meg worked briefly for a data processing company before being diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 30. Once the proper medication was found Meg was able to resume a somewhat normal life and continued to live with her parents. Peggy would take Meg on walks around two nearby malls and brother Don discovered on a visit home that the routes of these walks were set in stone, and no deviation was tolerated by Meg, much to Don’s amusement. Ever the loving parents, Don and Peggy, looked after Meg up until their deaths (Peggy died at 88 in 2011 and Don at 91 in 2013). While at home Meg became an avid fan of the Food Network and developed an interest in cooking with her mom. One dish, in particular, a cheese and corn casserole, became a staple at family Thanksgiving dinners.

After Don and Peggy passed away, Meg moved into an assisted living facility in Woodland Hills and then to a skilled nursing facility in South Pasadena. Meg was an Angeleno to the core and would not consider living any other place. As Meg got older her illness took a greater toll, and it was more difficult to communicate with her as she retreated further into herself. Despite the many hardships in her life, she will be remembered as the loving and loved younger sister of Don, Dave and Nancy.

A memorial service will commemorate her life on Friday, April 9, 2025, 11:00 am, at the Rose Family Funeral Home, 4444 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, CA. Interment will occur after the service at Oakwood Memorial Park, 22601 Lassen St., Chatsworth, CA. In lieu of flowers please consider making a contribution to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).