Mrs. Margaret Frances Meisinger

MARGARET FRANCES MEISINGER 1909 - 2013 Margaret Frances (Johnson) Meisinger, age 103 of Murray, Nebraska passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2013, five weeks short of her 104th birthday at Duffs Friendship Villa in Nebraska City, Nebraska. She was born on November 12, 1909 to Anton and Christina Charlotta (Bengtson) Johnson, Swedish immigrants, on her family's farm in Raymond, Nebraska. The doctor who filled out the birth certificate lived in Ceresco, so he recorded Margaret's birth place as Ceresco. Margaret was the second child of five born to Anton and Christine. Clarence, Margaret, Virgel, Gladys, and Helen made up "the Johnson kids." Her mother had wanted to name her first daughter Frances Margaret, but decided people would likely nickname her Frankie. Margaret's mother, Christine, wanted her daughter to be called Margaret, so the order of names was reversed. Helen, Margaret's baby sister, called her Peg. Margaret's family moved from Raymond, NE to Saskatchewan, Canada in 1913 having bought cheap land from the railroad with the hopes of starting a successful wheat farm, but after two successive crop failures—due to wind one year and grasshoppers the next—the family moved back to Nebraska, this time settling in the Wausa area, where six of Christine's siblings had relocated. Anton and Christine and their children lived on the old Mord farm, but Anton worked as a carpenter, helping with some of the buildings still standing in the town of Wausa. When Margaret's father died in August of 1915, after his appendix burst, Christine, with her five children aged seven and under, moved onto a farm rented by Christine's youngest brother, Ed. This farm was across the road from Olof Pearsons to the east and from Olof Bensons to the north. Good times were had with cousins! Margaret recalled that she and her cousin, Elmer Pearson would sit under the big round oak table at Olof and Victoria's and tell "dirty" stories—stories about dung beetles and other dirty bugs. Then they would giggle, thinking no one knew where they were. On their way to the country school one spring day, Margaret and Virgel saw a huge bunch of wildflowers in bloom. Deciding the teacher would just love an armload of these beautiful flowers, they stopped and picked—a whole armload. Arriving quite late for school, the teacher explained that they were expected to arrive before the bell rang, announcing the start of school. Before Ed married, Christine and her children moved to a house in Wausa, bought by her brother, August. Christine worked at many jobs in town, as midwife, as cook, as hotel maid, and as a laundress to provide for her family; and the children all went to school in town, all graduating from high school there. After graduation from Wausa High School in 1928, Christine paid the tuition for both Margaret and her brother Virgel to the American Business College in Omaha, which closed its doors prior to their getting their diplomas. Margaret worked for a number of families in Omaha while in school, and she related some of these experiences. She worked for the Clow family, who was related to the Bodiker family, the banker in Murray! (Small world, isn't it?) She ironed the linens for the Clows on a Mangle, an ironer on a big roller. She also worked for the Campbells, usually cooking breakfast for this family, and cleaning their home, earning about $7 a week. She was given streetcar fare and a nickel each day. Then came the decision whether to buy an apple or a candy bar with that nickel! She didn't always get enough to eat, so she lost weight at the Campbells. In 1940 she was an elevator operator in a department store. She worked at the Martin Bomber Plant at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska and was part of the Civil Air Patrol during the war. She worked for Sacony Oil and lived at the YWCA on 20th & Cass in Omaha for a number of years. When Christine moved back to Nebraska after living in Texas helping Gladys with the twins, Margaret lived with her in Ralston until she married Ruben Philip Meisinger on Aug. 14, 1947. They probably met at the Kass Kounty King Korn Karnival. Before they married, Margaret and Ruben used to take their nieces, Helen and Barbara out for ice cream, and once they rode with Margaret and Ruben to Wausa, NE for a family get-together. Ruben was a jolly man, and the girls had much fun singing all kinds of songs while in the car with them. Ruben became co-owner of a locker plant in Plattsmouth until he bought the Murray Locker Plant in Murray around the time Dennis was born. Their only child, Dennis Walter Meisinger was born on August 20, 1950. When Ruben died in 1962, Margaret took over running the locker plant, which she ably did for many years. She was a hard worker, just like her mom had been. Margaret loved to get together with family, and when her siblings would come to Nebraska, they shared many good times and a lot of laughs over the years. Probably the most memorable trip was when all of the "Johnson kids" met together in Honolulu around 1976 the winter all were retired. Her brother Clarence lived in Honolulu, where he and his wife owned three apartment buildings in the city. Clarence had vacant apartments for his family when they arrived, and they stayed there rent-free for a month or more. They took turns cooking dinner each night for the group, and they traveled to the other islands also on Clarence's generosity. That trip was much discussed with fond memories over the years. Margaret attended several conventions for meat packers and met interesting people during her years as owner of the locker. She also took a wagon train through Kansas before she retired. When she was only 100, her niece took her to Wausa for the Benson Family Reunion—one last time. Perhaps she inherited some of that desire to travel from her parents, continued... 1 2 Next ...continued who had originally emigrated from Sweden to the US in 1885 and 1903, before trying their luck in Canada in 1913. Margaret must have inherited her longevity from the Bengtson family--her mother's sister, Victoria Pearson, lived to within three weeks of her 103rd birthday; and her cousin, Edith Pearson Bengtson is 101 at this time. A highlight of Margaret's last year was having Dennis drive her to visit Cousin Edith last November in Pierce, NE. How great it was that a 103-year-old visited a 100-year-old (at that time)! In reality, that doesn't happen too often! Margaret was so excited about that trip. Margaret was a cheerful lady and always had a kind word to say about everyone. She enjoyed a good laugh and had the most practical, down-to-earth attitude towards life of anyone I've ever known. She was realistic about expectations—at 99, she asked her niece to take her shopping! She said she didn't need too much, just enough to get by. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Louisville, Nebraska and 62-year member of Order of Eastern Star Home Chapter #189 of Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Margaret is survived by her son: Dennis Meisinger of Murray, NE, two nieces: Helen Bechan and husband Howard of Oakham, MA, Barbara Larsen and husband Dean of Overland Park, KS, two nephews: Robert Taylor and wife Jane of Augusta, GA, Richard Johnson and wife Pamela of Omaha, NE and numerous cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents: Anton and Christina Johnson, husband: Ruben P. Meisinger, two brothers: Clarence Johnson and Virgel Johnson, and two sisters: Gladys Taylor and Helen Huber. A Celebration of Life and Order of Eastern Star Service will be held at 1:30 P.M., Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at Christ Lutheran Church, 15616 84th St. (Hwy. 66) in Louisville, Nebraska with Pastor Naomi Hartman officiating, Susan Corbin Worthy Matron, and Mark Kraeger as organist. Cake and coffee will be served in the Fellowship Hall following the service. Interment of Cremains will take place at 3:30 P.M., Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Christ Lutheran Church or the donor's favorite charity. Previous 1 2

Mrs. Margaret Frances Meisinger

November 12, 1909 - October 5, 2013