Remembering Margaret Kerry the Real Life Tinker Bell

Remembering Margaret Kerry the Real Life Tinker Bell

I have some specific memories I want to share about Margaret Kerry and fun with her at Walt’s Barn. If you don’t know what Walt’s Barn is look out Walt’s Carolwood Barn. Simply put it is the small replica barn from Walt’s Hombly Hills home where he would work on his 1/8 scall backyard train. He also did a lot of the planning of Disneyland in that barn. It is the birthplace of W.E.D. now called WDI (Walt Disney Imagineering). I was volunteering for a special event at Walt’s Barn along with Margaret. We were giving a private tour. She would come do these as often as she could. I showed people around Walt’s Barn sharing stories about Walt, his love of trains and some of the special items in the barn. After the tour Margaret gave a special talk about her time working on Peter Pan as the live action model for Tinker Bell. She spoke about Walt and the animators she met there. She came and helped sweep up the barn, set up, gave her talk (and on other occasions than this one took over my part of talking about the barn because I passed out from heat.) and then she would help clean up and shut things down. She was just a regular volunteer.

At this time of this incident I was taking care of my sweet Mum-In-Love. She had Alzheimer's and could not be left alone for even 5 minutes. I could not find anybody to watch mum for me so brought her along with me. There were seats she could sit in and cold water to drink. It was a safe enclosed area and I did not have to worry about her. Then Margaret showed up. Sweet Margaret started talking to Mum. They shared stories of their faith in God, the husbands they loved and lost, childhood and family. While I took care of my responsibilities Margaret spent time with mum. Margaret befriended her, took care of her and kept her from wandering off. She allowed me to do something I loved doing, sharing stories about Walt the Man. Margaret knew that would give me peace, and she truly enjoyed spending the time with mum. 

Another much beloved memory I have of her is from the Los Angeles Live Steamer Ghost Train of 2017. This annual event was a crowd pleaser that packed out and was a great thing to do for Halloween. I arranged for a train to take the volunteers of Walt’s Barn (Located on the LALS Area in Griffith Park, Los Angeles) on a ride! This is a nighttime ride with lighting, animated figures, music, and special effects. Think of a walk through Haunted House but instead of walking you are riding on a 1/8 scale train at night! It was about a 20-minute ride! Margaret got the front seat and I fully expected her son to sit behind her, remember she was 86 at the time and this is a straddle type bench seat. You need good balance to ride and many, especially older people riding at night, just do not feel stable enough to do it. NOPE!! Margaret wanted me right behind her!! Look at the picture!! I’m a little person! My husband is right behind me and Margaret’s son is behind him! The rest of the Barn Crew is behind that. OFF WE GO!!! We roll out of the station past a huge, talking, animated haunted tree. Margaret giggled like a schoolgirl and said, “You don’t scare me one little bit!” Thus, the adventure began!! Through Grandma’s Potting Shed with a GIANT Audre II and pots of her hungry babies. Killer Clowns, Western Ghost Towns, simulated electrocution and a mine train spewing flame from its smoak stack! I nervus, no terrifed she would feel unsupported and worried about falling off and here she was making silly comments to the talking figures along the track! She would comment on the quality of the voiceover work and how good the actors that did it were. She loved the special effects and commented on them all. All the time I’m behind her thinking, “OMG!! If Tinker Bell falls off this train and gets hurt I’M DEAD!! Every single Tink fan in the world will hunt me down!!” I never had to worry. Margaret was rock steady the entire ride She held herself more like a 26 year old than a 86 year old! Not one little bobble or need for me to support her!! What childlike joy she had!! She loved every moment.

One more story. Margaret was about to publish her book “Tinker Bell Talks” and she was talking to me about it. (If you have not read it I highly recommend you do so.) We got talking about things we were doing outside of Walt’s Barn. I told her about a book I’d been writing for years. It is a Christmas book for families to read together at Christmas. She asked for a copy so I printed one for her. Margaret was a master storyteller. If you ever had the pleasure of hearing her speak you know what I mean. She liked my book and had one major comment. The book needed illustrations! I could not afford an illustrator nor could I draw myself. We had just finished giving a tour of the Barn. She pointed to the barn and said, “Where are we?” I told her, “Walt’s Barn.” At that she put her fists on her hips, tipped her head to the side in that all too familiar Tink with a Tude pose and gave me “The Look.” You know that one eye half closed, slight frown on the lips what you going to do about it look. She said, “If you can dream it, you can do it! Go draw those illustrations!” I did draw those illustrations, and the book should be out this Christmas! It is in the final editing faze. Took time to find a publisher I could afford. This was the woman who brought one of Disney’s most Iconic and beloved characters to life and danced her way into our hearts. She had the spirit, sass and just embodied the belief she could do anything she wanted, including flying if she really wanted to. She will always be missed but we need to remember that she has just gone on and we can still find her by following that 2nd Star to the Right and Straight onto Morning! We will find her there if we just have Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust. She left a pile of Pixie Dust wherever she went.

Here are some of the pictures I drew because Ms Tink told me to try! Well not just try, DO!!