M. Aitcheson, 77; Mother of Tipper Gore

Margaret Ann Aitcheson, the mother of Tipper Gore and the inspiration for the former second lady’s work on behalf of the mentally ill, has died. She was 77.

Aitcheson died Monday at the Alexandria, Va., nursing home where she lived, said a spokeswoman for the Gores. Her son-in-law, former Vice President Al Gore, was with her at the time. His wife was in Miami to accept a humanitarian award sponsored by the University of Miami’s psychiatry department, Jackson Memorial Hospital, the Florida Psychiatric Society and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Tipper Gore often cited her mother’s severe bouts of depression--as well as her own struggle with the disease--as a motivation for taking up the cause. Informed by her husband of her mother’s death just before her appearance, she accepted the award in her mother’s honor.

Born in Battle Creek, Mich., Aitcheson moved to the northern Virginia area as a teenager and spent the rest of her life there.

She is responsible for the nickname of her only child, Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson. “Tipper” comes from a lullaby sung to young Mary by her mother.

Margaret Aitcheson was a self-employed accountant, a Red Cross volunteer and, at one point, an alcoholism therapist.

She is survived by her daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her first husband, Al Odom, was killed in World War II. She was divorced from Tipper Gore’s father, John K. Aitcheson Jr.

The family requests that any memorial donations be made to the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, 750 17th St. NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20006.