By Thomas Rayfiel
Readers who remember when the Linewaiters’ Gazette was printed on paper and had ads for personal services in the back may well recall one that seemed to run in every issue:
“MADISON AVENUE HAIRCUTTER is right around the corner from the food Co-op, so if you would like a really good haircut at a decent price, please call Maggie. I charge $60.00.”
Maggie was Maggie Lea-Collier, who died February 2, 2024. Maggie joined the Coop in 1991. She worked various shifts, including a morning shopping squad, but her main interaction with the Coop was through haircutting. Many members responded to her ad and, in addition to loving the haircuts they got, became lifelong friends. Maggie was also an avid knitter, producing scarves and blankets, as well as a baker, gifting people with rolls, scones and cookies.
An orphan born in London, Maggie was adopted by Muriel Massy-Collier, who drove an ambulance during World War II. She always dreamed of coming to America and finally did, studying art, then combining that ambition with hairdressing at an upscale salon where, as she put it, she “sculpted hair” for the rich and famous before going out on her own in Park Slope.
Her daughter, Stana Weisburd, recalls: “She had many adventures and enjoyed traveling, particularly to small islands where she could live in a hut reading good books. She also enjoyed going out dancing all night with friends. She loved playing scrabble and doing jigsaw puzzles.”
Fred Dupiton, her longtime partner, emphasized that “her experience at the Coop was a great one. She was always talking about how fortunate she was to have it nearby, how she met a lot of great people, some of whom came to be clients as well, which helped her hairdressing business grow.”
One of those people was Mary Gerety, who initially received a great haircut.
“Over time and at the start of the pandemic, when I retired, I offered to shop for Maggie and take her to her doctors’ appointments. We soon became close friends and often cooked for each other, took walks and kept each other posted on what was going on in our lives. Maggie was a generous person with her time and talents. We both talked about how grateful we were for our lives and the people in them. Maggie loved that she had been independent all her life and enjoyed it to the fullest.”
Maggie is survived by her daughter, Stana Weisburd, son-in-law Paul Wepy, grandchild Devin Wepy, and her partner of 46 years, Fred Dupiton.
