Margaret “Meg” DeWolf Gilbertson, age 81, of McLean, VA, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2025 at Vinson Hall Retirement Community, surrounded by her loving family and friends.

Meg was born on October 12, 1944 in San Francisco, California to Theodore “Ted” DeWolf and Katharine (Higley) DeWolf. When she was eight years old, her family moved to the Territory of Hawaii, where she became an avid reader and developed a love for animals, especially cats, and graduated from Kailua High School. She returned to the mainland to study Journalism and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.

Meg worked in Hearings and Appeals for the Social Security Administration in Palm Springs,CA, Baltimore, MD, Albany, NY and Washington DC. Over the course of a career that spanned over 35 years, she improved the lives of countless individuals with disabilities. After retiring from public service, she became a jewelry designer, selling her works of art as “Eccentricity's Daughter.”

Known for her warm smile and dry sense of humor, Meg was a dedicated volunteer for organizations such as Metropolitan Washington Mensa (she was also a Local Secretary of MWM). It was at a Mensa event in the 1980s where she met the love of her life, Roger Gilbertson. They built a beautiful life together in Logan Circle, making friends throughout their neighborhood and beyond. Sometimes called “The Canasta Queen,” she and a core group of friends enjoyed a regular game for 50 years.

She was a devoted wife, stepmother, and the type of “Tutu” (grandmother) who was happy to play on the floor with her grandson. She is survived by her husband, Roger; stepchildren, Gamble Gilbertson (Moe Benesch) and Erik Gilbertson; grandson Corbin Benesch; siblings John (Sue) DeWolf, Dorothy (DeWolf) Schedvin, Bill (Joan) DeWolf; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. She was preceded in death in 1981 by her beloved first husband, Arnold “Arnie” Weinstein.

A celebration of life will be held on February 27, 2026 at 2 pm in the Ballroom at the Kathy Martin Community Building at Vinson Hall Retirement Community, 1735 Kirby Road McLean, VA 22101. The family invites you to join them for a reception immediately following the ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, Planned Parenthood, or your local public TV/radio station. An inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at a later date.