Margaret Simonson

Margaret E. Simonson, of Decorah, IA, died peacefully at Barthell Order of Eastern Star Nursing Home on Sunday, September 20, 2015, at the age of 88. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday September 26, 2015 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Chad Huebner officiating. Visitation begins on Saturday at 10:00 a.m., one hour before services, at the church. Margaret Elizabeth (Minke) Simonson was born on September 23, 1926 to Raleigh C. and Hilda C. (Haar) Minke, in Toledo, Ohio. She was baptized in her parents’ home in Toledo on November 11, 1926. She graduated from DeVilbiss High School in Toledo, Ohio with the class of 1944. While in high school, Margaret and her two sisters sang locally, which was the start of a lifelong love of music and singing. Upon graduating from high school, Margaret explored college and a nursing vocation before traveling to Los Angeles, California with her brother to visit friends. She fell in love with California and decided to pursue her love of the Lutheran Church with seminary classes in Berkeley California. It was there that she met Conrad A. Simonson, whom she wed on August 28, 1955. To this union four children were born: Paul, Kathryn, Gail and Heidi. Margaret lived in Ohio, California, Arizona, Illinois and Decorah, Iowa. She loved California the most. She worked many administrative positions on college campuses, here and in California, and her last position was as “the church lady” at the Mission Santa Clara, where she scheduled weddings in the beautiful Mission church. She loved knitting, reading good books, watching football, bicycling & walking around her neighborhood and holding babies. She loved the Lutheran Church, tithed religiously and hosted Bible studies until just a few years ago. She donated all her life to Veterans groups, Native American Indian education and Habitat for Humanity. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Catherine Temple and Irene Ewy; her brother, Howard Minke; her brothers- and sister-in-law, Phil O’Neil, F. Dean Temple, Warren Ewy and Hazel Minke; her nephew, Don Ewy; and her beloved dog, Pippin. Margaret is survived by her four children: Paul Simonson of Tustin, CA, Kathryn (Steve “Nick”) Nichols of Topeka, KS, Gail (Marty) Weis of Decorah and Heidi (Jack Ueberrhein) Simonson of La Selva Beach, CA; 7 grandchildren: Nicole Myers of Laguna Beach, CA, Ian Nichols of Minneapolis, MN, Dylan Los Huertos of Berkeley, CA, Kaia Los Huertos of San Diego, CA, Colin Nichols of Topeka, KS, and Spencer and Sophie Weis of Decorah; and eight beloved nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to First Lutheran Church, 604 W. Broadway St., Decorah, IA 52101.