Obituary of Margie Maxine Schiferl

Margie Maxine Schiferl was born September 10, 1929 to Eastern Colorado homesteaders, Jim and Ida Gwyn.  She passed away peacefully Tuesday, March 27, 2018 in the presence of her family at the Aspen Leaf Assisted Living in Flagler, CO.

Margie had an older brother Albert and a younger sister Agnes. Her childhood home was along the river or “the crick” about a mile east of the Rose School. She and her siblings played at the crick, trapped skunks and killed rattlesnakes. Margie swore that there used to be a lot of magpies around, but they robbed their nests so often that you don’t see them around much anymore.  At about eight years old it became her job to make the bread for the family and churn butter.  She was in charge of the family’s “inside work.” She attended the Rose School before moving to town with Agnes where she graduated valedictorian from Flagler High School in 1947. 

Margie was very intelligent, and was an excellent speller, reader, knew her geography and was quick with math figures in her head.  With the help of Claud and Edith Ervin she was able to attend teaching school in Greeley for one semester. She made wonderful friends there but was so homesick she returned home and taught grades 1-8 at her childhood school, the Rose School, for one year.  

Margie met World War II veteran, Paul Schiferl, at a dance in Seibert.  She came home from that dance “over the moon about him”.  After a whirlwind romance, they married in 1949 at St. Charles Catholic Church in Stratton, where Paul was from, and honeymooned with one of his army buddies and his wife.  They lived briefly in Stratton and Hugo before moving to Amherst, Colorado where they made many lifelong friends.  In 1961, they bought and moved to their place south of Flagler on the Republican River.  They farmed a little, raised some hogs and chickens, and had a dairy. Mostly, they raised kids. All the kids were angels and they came by it honestly too. Paul worked at the Seibert and Flagler elevators and later for the county while Margie gardened, baked, sewed and mothered.  Paul and Margie loved going to dances together and hosting people and family in their small home.  Paul enjoyed fishing trips with his family to Nebraska and Margie made them possible.

Paul passed away in 1985, shortly after the last of the kids had left home. Margie had devoted her life up to that point to taking care of everyone. It was a major change in her life to live alone for the first time in her life, but she took it all in stride. She started a cleaning business. The work was hard, but hard work was nothing new. She made friends with the people she worked for that she cherished to the end. She finally retired from house cleaning at the age of 82. Even then she had more of a social life than many of us. She was in a card club, played Bunco, went various places with other widows to go dancing, and, of course, family get togethers were a big deal. Margie very much appreciated living in a small community and was always grateful for the people that she could always count on.  She continued to live on the farm until the last few months of her life. Her home was perfect for a woman who loved nature and her independence. Phone calls with Margie always included a report of the wildlife she observed. One of her favorites was the family of owls raised in the “big tree.”

Margie is remembered by her family and friends for her excellent baking (most notably cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies).  She enjoyed traveling, as long as it didn’t last more than about four days, and was passionate about family history.  She was a welcoming mother-in-law and accepting of everyone.  She was content, humble, unassuming, courageous and never complained.  She loved her family and was so proud of all their talents and accomplishments. She never stopped learning and she gave her life to Christ and was baptized in Rose and Dallas’ hot tub four weeks before she died.

Margie will be dearly missed by her children Loretta (Gale) Smith, Rose (Dallas) Saffer, Rhonda (Dean) Richie, Ida Stephen, Dennis (Wendy) Schiferl, John (Becky) Schiferl;  grandchildren Monty (Sarah) Smith, Vanessa (Kevin) Bretz, Jessie (Brian) Pannell, Bill (Mindy) Witt, Hannah Witt, Missy Gossett, Toby (Bailey) Short, Erin (Heith) Walkinshaw, Paul Schiferl (bride-elect Rachel Juenemann), and Michael Schiferl; great-grandchildren Paige and Garrett Bretz, Jude, Merrick and Hadassah Pannell, Lewis, Owen, Ava and Mia Witt, Cooper, Bex and Cambria Seaman, Damon and Kaenon Gossett.

Visitation will be Monday April 2, 2018 at 10:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M.  Funeral Service will be Monday April 2, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. at Church of Christ in Flagler, Colorado, 522 Ruffner Ave, Flagler Colorado.