MAGGIE POPKIN

February 16, 2002 – November 18, 2019

Maggie Popkin, age 17, died tragically on November 18, 2019 after battling brain cancer. A lifelong resident of Doylestown, Pa., she was a student at George School in Newtown, Pa., where she would have been a high school senior.

From an early age, Maggie was an enthusiastic and fearless performer—at home, at school and wherever she could find a willing audience. Maggie fell in love with musical theater at age two, and, at every Broadway show, couldn’t wait to run to the stage door to meet the actors and ask them questions.

Every Saturday morning for years, she practiced singing under the care of musical instructors and friends Bob Egan and Michael Traupman of New Hope. A little more than a month ago, Maggie sang for the last time in public, bringing down the house at Bowman’s Tavern with a performance of “Second Hand White Baby Grand”.

Maggie was fascinated with medicine and decided, at age 11, that one day she would become a neuro-ophthalmologist to help people with visual problems related to the nervous system. She read the classic medical text, “Gray’s Anatomy” cover to cover, in the 6​th​ Grade. A precocious and mischievous third child, Maggie could always light up a room with a hilarious impression of a relative, or a song-and-dance routine that showed no fear. For her age, she was also a strong advocate for social justice and progressive values, and would not tolerate racism, sexism or intolerance.

Her many loves included her friends and family; her boyfriend, Cooper; being a boarding student at George School and acting in plays; her dogs, especially Dottie and Ghillie; Santa Fe; the Oregon Coast; birding and nature walks; working at Vintage Alley in Doylestown; cooking with her sister Emma; listening to her brother Sam play guitar and piano; speaking French, Russian, Latin and Hebrew; living with a host family in Russia in 8​th​ Grade, and celebrating her mixed Quaker and Jewish roots. After Maggie was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, she impressed her doctors with her knowledge of medicine and honest approach to her own diagnosis. She developed a special bond with her neuro-oncologist, Dr. Jean Belasco, at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). As a testament to her courage and caring for others, Maggie raised $15,000 for pediatric brain cancer research this year alone. She walked in CHOP’s “Parkway Run & Walk” fundraiser in Philadelphia in September, part of a group of committed cancer survivors, patients and families who raised $1.5 million to fund breakthrough pediatric cancer research and care at CHOP.

Maggie will be remembered for her sheer joy of life, caring nature, raucous humor, fierce loyalty to her family and friends, and her infectious optimism. She will be loved and missed forever.

Maggie is survived by her parents Amy and Andy Popkin and her brother Sam and sister Emma and Lily Arnell; her grandmother Sharen Popkin and grandparents Lynn and Shelley Taylor; and her cousins, aunts, uncles and other relatives and close friends.

​A private family burial will be held in Doylestown Cemetery. A memorial service honoring Maggie’s life will be held at George School’s Meetinghouse on Sunday December 8th at 1:00 PM, followed by a gathering with refreshments in the Library. George School is located at 1690 Newtown Langhorne Road, Newtown, PA, 18940.

Shiva, the period of mourning will be held at the Popkin residence in Doylestown this Saturday 5 pm – 8 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm.

​In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia:

CHOP Foundation, PO Box 781352, Philadelphia, PA 19178

or online at www.chop.edu/pages/pediatric-brain-tumor-research

***Please make sure to write “Designate this donation to Brain Tumor Research in memory of Maggie Popkin”