Margaret Dale Brush

Margaret "Lit" Brush

With the death of Margaret "Lit" Brush on July 9, 2023 at Ridgecrest, CA, the Northern Mojave Desert has lost a priceless asset in the history of the Searles Valley. In a lifelong whirlwind of activity, she found and preserved priceless remnants of that history for the enjoyment and education of residents and visitors alike.

Lit was born in Cartago, CA on August 15, 1927 and resided in the Trona area for most of her 95+ years. She began absorbing the rich history of the desert at a very young age. Her father, George Pipkin, was a noted local historian who retold the stories of the desert's colorful denizens in well-regarded books and newspaper columns. Her mother, Annie Laura Pipkin, was the founder of the Searles Valley Gem & Mineral Society.

Both Pipkins taught their daughter valuable life lessons in persistence and proactivity, lessons Lit applied in her dealings with Searles Valley Minerals and its predecessor chemical companies. She went to work at the chemical company in 1945, retiring in 1993 as manager of the Searles Domestic Water Co. as well as the supervisor of Searles Valley Residences, Inc., the organization that was responsible for managing the company's properties around Searles Valley.

In the meantime, the Searles Valley Historical Society, prodded by Lit, had started to collect local artifacts. A founder of SVHS, which started in 1987, she used her connections with the chemical company to convince officials that the company could shine as a good neighbor by supporting SVHS efforts to preserve and display the history that is so inextricably connected to the mining of Searles Lake.

She began by rescuing historic documents and photographs that the chemical company had decided not to keep. Those valuable remnants of Searles Valley history became the nucleus of the society's historical collections, which have since grown into a valuable repository, largely through her efforts.

Those efforts also resulted in much larger donations. On several occasions, company management, nudged heartily by Lit, agreed to give SVHS buildings that the company would otherwise have torn down. Notable among those donations were a 1918-era house, which became the Trona History House; and the Old Guest House Museum, formerly lodging for visiting dignitaries and office space for the company. Not content with cajoling the chemical company, Lit also convinced San Bernardino County to donate several historic fire engines and a place to house them.

The most recent acquisition coming to life under her efforts is the community's former credit union, now a spacious repository for irreplaceable photographs, books, maps and other artifacts, a collection Lit has made available to a stream of authors and journalists documenting the history of our desert.

So impressive were those preservation efforts that in 2007 the state of California gave SVHS a Governor's Historic Preservation Award, singling out Lit for special praise in leading a "jack of all trades" historical society that operates museums, maintains archives, interprets history and even develops interpretive roadside panels — all this in a totally volunteer effort.

In 2011 the Conference of California Historical Societies honored Lit with a prestigious individual award for contributions to California history that "add luster and significance" and "help to nurture and preserve our priceless heritage."

Her hometown knows how special she has been. In 2014, when Trona celebrated its 100th birthday Lit was grand marshal of the Trona Centennial Parade, holding aloft a well-earned key to the city from her position in a white convertible leading the parade through crowds of celebrants. During the Centennial History Symposium, Lit's name was mentioned at least as often as that of John Searles himself!

Family was very important to Lit. Her children were the light of her life and her relationship with her sisters was cherished. An amazing mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, colleague, and friend, she lived a live filled with joy, laughing often and enthusiastically. She loved God, her family, and friends with a full heart.

Preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bernard, her sister Myrt, and her brother Ned, she is survived by her five children: Nancy Evans (husband Bob), of Diamond Bar, CA; Frances Akerland (husband Don), of Fremont, CA, Thomas Brush (wife Juli), of Wildomar, CA; Bernard Brush, of Trona, CA; and Judy Brush, of Richmond, CA.

Seven grandchildren: Jade Zimmerman, (husband Dale), of Ridgecrest, CA, Sarah Evans, of Astoria, NY; Taryn Jacobson, (husband Ryan), of Fort Mohave, AZ; Marcus Akerland, (wife Terra) of Bellevue, WA; Taylor Pierce, (husband Ben), of Canyon Lake, CA; Justin Brush, of Los Angeles, CA; and Blair Akerland, of Gilbert, AZ.

Five great-grandchildren: Malcolm, Ulrik, Callan, Charlie, and Zoe. She is also survived by her sister, Val and many nieces and nephews.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in her name to, of course, the Searles Valley Historical Society.