Mary Margaret Umbarger Ashburn 1904-2009

ASHBURN, UMBARGER, ALLEN, WATKINS, CHRISTY

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/22/2012 at 22:51:31

Mary Margaret Ashburn the daughter of James Francis and Winnifred deEtt (Ballard) Umbarger was born October 7, 1904 in Odebolt, Iowa. She died on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at Catholic Elder Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the age of 104 years, 7 months and five days.

Margaret received her education in the Odebolt, Ringsted and Lake Park Schools graduating from Lake Park High in 1922. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in Primary Education in 1926. After graduation from Iowa State Teacher's College, she taught school for 35 years, 9 in Lake Park and 26 in Estherville. She taught in Lincoln, McKinley and Jackson Schools plus one year of private kindergarten in Roosevelt. Margaret taught school until she retired in 1970.

On April 16, 1938 she was united in marriage to Howard James Ashburn in Canton, South Dakota. They bought their home at 426 South 9th Street in Estherville where she lived until 2001 when she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Howard died on March 4, 1963.

Margaret joined the church at 12 years of age at Lake Park. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Estherville where she taught Sunday School, was Primary Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of Christian Education Committee, Circle leader, Deacon and Elder.

Left to cherish Margaret's memory are one son, David Michael Ashburn of Lansing, Kansas; one daughter, deEtt Allen of Minneapolis; three grandchildren, Dawn Watkins, Kim Christy (Randy), and David Ashburn II ; three great grandchildren, Brittany deEtt Ashburn, Randall Christy II and Kalyn Christy, as well as many nieces and nephews and their extended families.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard James Ashburn, her son, Arthur Douglas Ashburn, her parents, four brothers and one sister and daughter-in-law, Mary Ashburn.

Margaret loved books, teaching, embroidery and traveling throughout the 50 States many times plus Jamaica, Canada, Mexico, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Crete, Iceland, Israel, Egypt, Belgium, and Wales. And now she continues on the greatest journey ever. (MC)

INTERMENT
Oak Hill Cemetery
Estherville, Iowa