Margaret Irene (McCollough) GENSCHMER

GENSCHMER, MCCOLLOUGH, MABBOTT, CURREY, BRASIL, NELSON, HANDLER, TALCOTT, HOOT, MILLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/11/2017 at 12:50:10

April 11, 1916 ---- October 27, 2016

Margaret Irene McCollough Genschmer passed away peacefully at the age of 100 on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, in Webster City. Memorial services were held on Friday, Nov. 4, at Asbury United Methodist Church with Pastor Jeff Flagg officiating. A private burial will be held at a later date.

She was born April 11, 1916, in Webster City to George W. and Ethel (Mabbott) McCollough. Margaret was a graduate of Webster City High School (Class of 1934) and also attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.

Margaret was employed in several secretarial positions. In 1937, she moved to Glendale, California where she was employed for several years as receptionist in the Physicians & Surgeons Hospital. She married Lloyd Genschmer on Nov. 21, 1941, at the Wee Kirk O' the Heather Chapel in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale.

In 1943, Margaret and Lloyd moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where Lloyd was stationed in the U.S. Coast Guard. Margaret worked as a receptionist for a Steamship Company. In 1944, Lloyd was sent to the South Pacific, and Margaret returned to Webster City to live near her family. After Lloyd's discharge from the Coast Guard in 1945, the couple returned to Glendale. In 1948, they moved to Webster City to raise their family.

Margaret was very active in the Asbury United Methodist Church and a member of the Ruth Circle. She was a member of the Webster City Women's Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, The National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, Lucy Standish/Newcastle Chapter and was honored with a 50 year membership pin in 2012.

She was also a Girl Scout leader, a Cub Scout leader, taught Sunday classes, was a bookkeeper for Genschmer Lathing & Plaster, and was a fulltime mother raising two children.

In 1983, Margaret and Lloyd designed and built their dream home on West Lake Okoboji. Lloyd fished, Margaret grew beautiful flowers, founded a book club, led a water aerobics class for 20 years, was active in the founding of Monarch Cove (which was formerly the Methodist Church Camp), and loved to entertain friends and family.

Margaret moved to Crestview Apartments in 2001 and enjoyed many active years playing cards, having coffee with friends and working crossword puzzles. In 2012, she moved to Crestview Nursing & Rehabilitation due to failing health. In April 2016, she reached her goal of 100 and enjoyed a gathering of 75 friends and family in her honor.

Margaret is survived by a daughter, Virginia (Ginger) Gail (Steven) Currey of Oro Valley, Arizona and a son, Douglas Irvin (Carolyn) Genschmer of Stockton, California. Her grandchildren, Kimberly K G (Alvaro) Vital Brasil of Lorena, SP, Brazil, Heather Genschmer of Alameda, California and Dirk (Kylie Johnson) Nelson, Tuscon, Arizona, and her great grandchildren Isabella, Felipe and Nicholas Vital Brasil, of Lorena, Brazil, Myles (Genschmer) Handler of Alameda, California, and Brockton Alexander Nelson of Tucson, Arizona. She is also survived by her sister, Barbara Jean Talcott of Tacoma, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers, Richard (Dick) McCollough and Robert McCollough, two step mothers, Blanch Hoot McCollough and Emma Miller McCollough.

Memorial donations may be directed to Unity Point Hospice in Fort Dodge in memory of Margaret.

Margaret recently stated "The secret to living 100 years is move slow and don't worry!"

Daily Freeman Journal --- Webster City, Iowa
November 1, 2016