Margaret Hermine Maria Adkins (2014)

ADKINS, BERGMANN, DAIB, ARNOLD, CROSS, VANDERHEIDEN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/24/2020 at 06:54:30

The Stuart Herald
Stuart, Iowa
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Page 4, Columns 1 & 2

Margaret Hermine Maria Adkins, 85, of Dexter, died Saturday, February 8, 2014 at her home. A funeral service tribute was held Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Dexter with Pastor Jeffrey Keuning officiating. Organist Janna Nelson accompanied the congregational singing of “I Know My Redeemer Lives,” “For Hope Is Built On Nothing Less,” and “For All The Saints For Whom Their Labors Rest.”

Casket bearers were Grant Vanderheiden, Drew Vanderheiden, Katlynn Adkins, Kalysta Adkins, Eric Adkins, Alex Adkins, Jason Adkins, Amber Adkins, Alysa Adkins, and Ashley Adkins. Honorary bearers were Dean Daib, Deb Mertz, Sue Cross, Dan Cross, David Cross, Jeffrey Arnold, and Bill Arnold.

Burial was in Dexter Cemetery at Dexter.

Margaret was born on April 27, 1928 at home in Dexter, the third child of Rev. Kurt Bjorn and Ida Emma Bergmann Daib. She joined her family, sister Kathryn and brother Len, with little sister Christine yet to come.

Hers was a childhood framed by the Great Depression, historic drought and the Dust Bowl. However, the stories she related to the family were not darkly shaded by those tribulations, but instead colored by the faith and love of her parents, the kinship of sisters and brother and the camaraderie of many youthful friends growing up in Dexter.

Margaret was a Dexter Owl, graduating in the class of 1945. She often shared stories of her classmates, teammates, teachers and friends, who shared the halls of the Dexter schoolhouse and gave form to young Margaret.

Upon graduation, she spent a year as a student at Iowa State University, biding time until she could enter nursing school. Margaret graduated from the Lutheran School of Nursing in Des Moines, and carried the mantel of this profession throughout her adult life, including working at the Dexter Hospital.

Christmas Day 1949 marked the completion of a long pursuit by her soul mate, James Franklin Adkins. Jimmy’s unrelenting romancing of the girl of his dreams was rewarded with a lifetime of love. How they ever talked Rev. Daib into a Christmas Day wedding remains a mystery to this date.

Their union’s first four years took them to Rapid City, S.D. for Jimmy’s service in the Air Force. Here they were blessed with two sons, Kurt James, 1952, and Michael Richard, 1955. Following completion of Jimmy’s service, they returned to Dexter to make their home for life. A third son, Christopher George, 1956, added to the family with the completion by little sister, Antoinette Marie, 1959.

Margaret and Jimmy joined his parents, James Casper and Antoinette, and brother Dick at Adkins Cash Food grocery store, which served the community for more than 50 years. Most every family in the Dexter area was nourished by the goods and friendship brokered by this business. Margaret’s children learned the value of an honest day’s work, the value of a customer’s trust, and the joy of serving the community while stocking shelves and sacking groceries with their elders.

Margaret prematurely lost her father in 1952. His absence was sorely felt, but found a way to express itself as a blessing by placing Grandma Ida in the middle of Margaret’s growing family. Margaret’s children grew up in a universe filled with the love of their parents. Margaret’s love and care of her mother provided a standard that has guided the actions of her children as they tended to her in recent years.

Margaret was one of the matriarchal figures for a generation of neighborhood children in Dexter. She served as Cub Scout den mother, chauffer to ballgames, a willing get-away driver to Happy Acres Lake on a hot summer afternoon, short order cook, neighborhood RN, Sunday school and catechism teacher. She reveled in the events of her children’s lives. A constant at Dexter contests providing sideline support for a generation of Blue Devils, she and Jimmy sheered on the dreams of Dexfield athletes-musicians-actors, many of whom were home grown in their back yard.

Margaret had a sense of adventure, and would join in a road trip at the drop of a hat. She enjoyed family vacations, shopping excursions, visits to the growing and dispersing families of her children, runs to St. Louis, Grimes, and Shenandoah to visit sisters and brother’s families.

As her children’s families grew out into the larger world leaving an empty nest, Margaret redirected her energies serving on the Dexter Roundhouse board, numerous Lutheran Church groups, and working at the Dexfield schools as an associate in special education.

Margaret’s focus turned to caring for Jimmy as multiple sclerosis began to erode his health. Her dedication and love, until Jimmy’s passing in 2002, served as an inspiration to her children.

The last paths of her journey will be cherished by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as they recall the love of this exceptional woman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Kurt and Ida Daib, husband, Jim, on November 24, 2002, son, Kurt Adkins, sisters, Christine Arnold, Kathryn Cross, and mother and father-in-law James and Antoinette Adkins.

Survivors include her children, Michael R. Adkins of Dexter, Christopher “Chris” (Jerri) Adkins of Bear Creek, and Antoinette “Anne” (Chuck) Vanderheiden of Dexter; brother, Len (Shirley) Daib of Grimes, and brothers-in-law, Dick Adkins of Dexter and Larry Arnold, daughter-in-law, Donna Adkins of Golden, Colo., grandchildren, Amber, Alyssa, Ashley, Jason, Eric, Alex, Grant, Drew, Katlynn, and Klysta, eight great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other family members and many friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Margaret Adkins Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of Johnson Family Funeral Home.

Professional arrangements entrusted to Johnson Family Funeral Home-Dexter Chapel.