Margaret Elaine Cottingham Covert, 60, of Yeadon, a special-education teacher for 30 years in the Philadelphia School District, died Friday of cancer at Penn Rittenhouse Hospice.

Mrs. Covert was born in North Carolina and grew up in Philadelphia. She graduated from West Philadelphia High School, and earned bachelor's degrees in elementary education and special education from Cheyney University. There, she met her future husband, Alonzo. They married in 1970.

After their daughter, Dana, was in school, Mrs. Covert began teaching special-education students in Philadelphia. Most of her career was spent at John P. Turner Middle School in Southwest Philadelphia. She was nurturing and dedicated, and had a calm and gentle manner, said Lila Williams, who also taught at Turner. Mrs. Covert retired in 2008.

She enjoyed gardening, the theater, dining out, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. A favorite destination was Sedona, Ariz., and she visited Hawaii with her daughter in August.

Mrs. Covert's husband, a teacher and coach at Darby Township High School and later at Academy Park High School in Delaware County, died in 1998.

In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two brothers and two sisters.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at First African Baptist Church, Clifton and Laurel Avenues, Sharon Hill. Friends may call from 9 a.m. Burial will be in Westminster Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd.