Margaret W. Sames (Margaret Jane Wray)

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Margaret Sames, professionally known as Margaret Jane Wray, a beloved wife, mother, and celebrated opera singer. She passed away Tuesday, December 2nd, surrounded by family. Born December 17th, 1962, in San Antonio, Texas, Margaret grew up in St. Charles, Illinois, where she graduated from St. Charles High School (now St. Charles East High School) with the class of 1981. She later attended North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) and began her professional career at the Houston Grand Opera.

Margaret's remarkable voice and passion for opera led her to become one of the youngest vocalists to win the Metropolitan Opera auditions at the age of 23, launching a career that would take her around the globe. In 1989, Margaret won the Richard Tucker Award, which is awarded to artists who have “reached a high level of artistic accomplishment and who, in the opinion of a conferral panel, is on the threshold of a major international career.”

Throughout her illustrious career, her voice serenaded audiences at the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, La Scala in Milan, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Berlin State Opera, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie in Brussels, L’Opéra Bastille in Paris, Opéra National du Capitole in Toulouse, Oper Frankfurt, L’Opéra de Nice, and the Seattle Opera, to name a few.

She won special acclaim for her Wagnerian portrayals, especially Sieglinde in Die Walküre. Margaret performed alongside Plácido Domingo, Kurt Masur, Daniel Barenboim, Mariss Jansons, Seiji Ozawa, James Conlon, Antonio Pappano, Deborah Voigt, James Morris, Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle, Greer Grimsley, Thomas Studebaker, Mstislav Rostropovich, Sir Georg Solti, Riccardo Muti, and with orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, Boston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and Dallas Symphony. She also adjudicated for the Metropolitan Opera auditions for over a decade, recognizing talents and mentoring the next generation of opera singers.In 1991, Margaret returned to her roots in St. Charles, where she married her soulmate, William Georg Sames. They welcomed two wonderful sons, Zachariah and Luke. Margaret continued to perform until around 2013, leaving behind a legacy of music that touched countless hearts.

In recent years, Margaret's family lived in Hudson, Wisconsin, where she was a voice teacher at the Phipps Center for the Arts and a board member of the St. Croix Valley Opera, bringing her lifelong passion to her local community. In her spare time, she could be found tending her flower beds and gardens at her home. She also moonlighted as a “stealth gardener,” fixing and planting flowers in neglected public spaces across town.

Margaret is survived by her devoted husband, William Georg Sames; her cherished sons, Zachariah and Luke Sames; mother Anne Wray; siblings Elizabeth Wray and Michael Wray; in-laws Brigitte (Sames) Feia, Kurt Sames, Christine Sames, and many nieces and nephews. Her family, friends, and fans will remember her not only for her incredible talent but also for her warmth, kindness, and zest for life.

She was preceded in death by her father Royce Wray and sister Susan Wray.

The visitation will be held Monday, December 8th, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at O'Connell Funeral Home in Hudson. A memorial service will take place Tuesday, December 9th, at 11:00 am, with an additional visitation at 10:00 am at Valley Baptist Church in Lakeland, MN. Friends and family are invited to join in honoring her memory and the indelible impact she had on those fortunate enough to know her. The family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Croix Valley Opera in Margaret's name in lieu of flowers. The St. Croix Valley Opera will create the Margaret Jane Wray scholarship in her honor to continue her legacy.