Feisty. A term she would use to describe herself. Even in her last days. A descriptor well deserved. Coming out of Nebraska at the age of six in a caravan of a truck and a car reminiscent of The Grapes of Wrath, she and her younger siblings wound up in Bremerton, Washington, in 1941. Her dad became a welder in the shipyards. Later they moved to Silverton, Oregon when she was 12, where she would attend Silverton High School and was voted Queen of Hearts at the age of 15.
Margie was creative, artistic... and feisty. As a mom, she created unforgettable birthday cakes and Christmas Day mornings of filled stockings and surprising gifts from Santa. She was an accomplished seamstress, cake decorator, and would-be architect, designing the house we lived in from 1968 on Woodlane in Springfield until we moved on to our own lives.
She might well have had a career as a great teacher if she had chosen. In 1960-61 she taught "Play School", a kind of two-hour day care, at the Willamalane Memorial Building. (Not many years later, the Memorial Building became the Sugar Shack on Friday nights, a junior high dance-and-chance-for-romance happening.) She also led exercise classes there. And finally, she volunteered at Guy Lee Elementary to read to students.
She was proud of her mastery of pig Latin and horse Latin, unfamiliar "languages" to most of us today, and taught the staff at memory care in Canby, Oregon a salty word or two. Always good for a laugh. And could take a cigar and blow great smoke rings. On her 85th birthday. Feisty.
Always youthful in her appearance, we used to take delight when a salesman at the door would ask her if her mother was home. She and Dad liked to play the nickel slots at Three Rivers Casino every so often and well into her 70's she would time herself to see how fast she could drive there. Pulled over once, she was allowed to continue on when the officer saw it was a little old lady at the wheel. For her 80th birthday, we bought her an antique slot machine to keep her home.
She was the oldest of three children born to Harry and Mildred (Reams) Hahn near the tiny town of Madrid in southwestern Nebraska.
She was a survivor of a lengthy battle with cancer, but Alzheimer's takes no prisoners. Preceded in death by her parents, husband of 65 years Charlie, brother Kenneth, sister Valeta. Survived by daughter Sheri Schweigert and her husband Jim, son Chris, son Rik and his wife Linda, six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and long-time friend Norma Roth.
Interment took place in Valley View Cemetery, Silverton, Oregon