Margaret M. Joss

Margaret Schremser Joss, 88, of Indianapolis passed away on Nov. 1.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to John and Adalinda Schremser, Margaret was the youngest of five children. In high school, she was a competitive tennis player and golfer and worked at a bakery. She and a friend also started a sorority and as president and vice-president, voted to buy themselves cashmere sweaters with the membership dues.

At age 20, she met the love of her life, Robert Joss, at a summer job, and they were married in December. The two of them earned their undergraduate degrees from Indiana University Bloomington before moving to Indianapolis, where they lived the rest of their lives. They then earned master’s degrees in education from Butler University.

With a K-12 teaching license in hand, Margaret taught at Indianapolis Public Schools and Warren Township schools, including Wood and Arsenal Tech high schools and Woodview and Stonybrook junior high schools. She said the show that most reflected her many years as a math teacher was Beavis and Butt-Head.

The couple had three children, and the family often took long car trips on school breaks—trips planned meticulously by Margaret. After retiring, she was a devoted volunteer at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and her church. She and Bob also traveled extensively, including several winters in Siesta Key, Florida, where they formed a tight bond with a small group of other Midwesterners. Margaret was active in a group of teachers who had secured a grant to fund book club meetings, then continued to meet for decades despite little discussion of books. She loved hosting holiday parties, where she was able to use her organizational skills to welcome friends and family to her home. She was the queen of lists.

She is survived by her children Liz Joss (Jim Thomason), Rob Joss, and Mary Lyski (Jim); as well as grandchildren Alex, Fred (Grayson Revlett) and Mayde Joss; Nat Thomason and his son Axel; Coleman (Gabi Olsen) and Max Lyski; her sister Marilyn Gorrell; cousins Connie Gigax and Penny Handshaw; many nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of friends and their children and grandchildren. Bob died in 2021, shortly before their 66th wedding anniversary.

The family is grateful to the staff of Sunrise Old Meridian for taking care of our loved ones like they were your own, and to Paradigm Health for hospice care.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Margaret. A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, November 6, at 2 pm, with interment to follow. All are welcomed to the Reception from 3:30 to 6. All events will be held at Flanner Buchanan – Oaklawn, 9700 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46250.

In Margaret’s memory, please consider donating to Miracle Place-Indianapolis or the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.