Ann Arbor, MI – Meg Worcester passed away peacefully in her home at Glacier Hills on May 10, 2026.
Meg was born Margaret Ethel Briggs to Rev. Horace and Margaret (Worcester) Briggs in Newton, Massachusetts. She was the youngest of four children and spent her childhood in Newton, MA, and Fryeburg, ME, with summers in Intervale, NH, and on Gotts Island, ME. Meg’s musicianship led her to study flute at both Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Michigan.
In 1957, Meg (then called Ethel) married Charles Heffernan. Charles’ first university appointment took them to Seattle, WA, where they welcomed their daughter, Priscilla. Other teaching positions brought them to Rochester, MI; Tempe, AZ; Toronto, ON; and Amherst, MA. Meg always taught flute, played in orchestras, and found part-time work.
Meg and Charles ended their marriage in 1986, and Meg married Ed Friedrich of Greenfield, MA, in 1989. Meg continued extensive private flute teaching, played in the Pioneer Valley Symphony, and enjoyed a robust freelancing schedule, including playing in pit orchestras for shows at the Williamstown Theatre. She enjoyed bike riding, hiking, and visiting her daughter, son-in-law Dan, and granddaughters, Hannah and Emily, in Ann Arbor.
In 2019, after Ed’s passing (2011) Meg moved to Ann Arbor to be near her family. Here she happily remained, playing the piano for various church services, attending many concerts, and serving on numerous committees at Glacier Hills. She was so grateful to witness both granddaughters’ marriages and the birth of her great-grandson earlier this year, which was her great joy!
Meg’s fast-paced walk, her quick wit, her musicality, and her ever readiness for adventure will be sorely missed by her friends and, most of all, by her family.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Glacier Hills, 1200 Earhart Rd. Ann Arbor, MI on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 11am.
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