Margaret M. Stallbaumer, 91, of Seneca, KS, died Monday, February 7, 2005, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. She was transferred there from Life Care Center where she had been a resident since January 2000 after suffering a hip fracture in December of 1999.

She was born December 8, 1913, on a farm northeast of Seneca, the daughter of Henry J. and Josephine Waller Nordhus. Margaret attended Sts. Peter & Paul School. When she was 16, her mother died along with a newborn baby, and Margaret helped take care of the younger children and the farm. In 1940 she moved to Kansas City, KS and worked in homes doing domestic work and child care. She returned home in 1942 to help take care of her father.

On April 26, 1944, she married Herman L. Stallbaumer at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Shortly after their marriage, Herman was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served four years and saw action in the European Theater. After Herman returned from the service, they moved to a farm two miles north of Centralia where they farmed and raised livestock. They retired from farming in December 1978, and moved to Seneca. Her husband Herman preceded her in death on May 24, 1983.

She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, St. Ann’s Altar Society, the church choir, the church quilting group, the L.C.B.A., the Earl W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the V.F.W. Auxiliary, all in Seneca. Margaret enjoyed gardening, playing cards, and bingo. She learned oil painting and painted several pictures for her children. She was a very devout lady with a warm and friendly disposition and positive outlook on life.

Survivors are three sons, Galen Stallbaumer of Topeka, Lynn Stallbaumer of Boulder, CO, and Kirby Stallbaumer of Seneca; two daughters, Jo Ann McKinney of Parker Heights, TX, and Elaine Chase of Beattie; two brothers, Sylvester “Pat” Nordhus and John Nordhus, both of Seneca; two sisters, Mary Macke of Seneca and Rita Keith of Shawnee Mission; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband, parents, and an infant sister, Celestine, she was preceded in death by a sister, Theresa C. Heiman on December 6, 2004.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 AM Thursday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. A prayer service will be held at 2 PM Wednesday, with a rosary at 6 PM Wednesday, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for Life Care Center or Sts. Peter & Paul Church, and sent in care of the family.