Margery Marie Schulze died on November 18, 2022 at the age of 84 at Kavanagh House in Des Moines, Iowa.
A visitation and memorial service will be held Saturday, December 10, 2022 at Brooks Funeral Care, 7975 University Blvd., Clive, Iowa. The visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m., and the memorial service will begin at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Churdan, Iowa. The memorial service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/2691130/embed/dc71cd7387
Marge was born on March 28, 1938 in Sioux City, Iowa. She grew up on her family’s farm near Jefferson, Iowa, with her parents and older brother Bill. She graduated from Jefferson High School and struck out on her own by moving after graduation to Des Moines.
Marge began working at Homesteaders Life Company, now of West Des Moines, in 1958 and retired 47 years later, in 2004. Marge worked in the Conservation Department, Policy Administration, and retired from the Records and Files Department. She was a valued employee and was well-liked by her co-workers and supervisors.
Marge was an independent woman who bought and then maintained her own home and yard for many years. She was well liked by her neighbors, developing special friendships with Joe and Beth Riede.
Following her retirement from her long and successful career with Homesteaders, Marge enjoyed trips with Leisure Tours, traveling to Branson, Missouri, Las Vegas, and monthly to the Meskwaki Casino in Tama. Marge enjoyed gaming and attending the horse races at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.
Marge enjoyed caring for her yard over much of her life. Her home and beautiful yard were her pride and joy, and for many years, she carefully tended her lawn and landscaping.
Marge loved animals, and they loved her. She doted on her beloved cocker spaniel, Maggie, and after Maggie died, on her cats Skeeter, Twinkle, and Oscar. She cared for wildlife as well, feeding the birds and squirrels and always keeping a birdbath filled with fresh water.
Marge met her close friend, and later caregiver, Merri Monks, in 2010, when Merri moved into Marge’s neighborhood, coming to Des Moines to care for her aged mother. Marge and Merri began their long and dear friendship, having fun and looking out for each other. Merri’s work involved frequent travel; Marge cared for Merri’s beloved cat during those trips.
Marge’s health declined over the years due to Type II diabetes, and sometimes she was hospitalized. Merri cared for Marge’s cats and home during those periods, and visited Marge daily during her hospitalizations. In spite of that, Marge enjoyed many good times with Merri, taking trips to Hawaii, Door County, Lake Okoboji, and Backbone State Park. Marge was a great comfort to Merri when Merri’s mother died.
For the first six months of the pandemic, Marge’s health continued to decline, with several hospitalizations due to diabetes. Merri cared for Marge at home, but Marge’s ongoing health issues required skilled nursing care. Marge entered Kennybrook Village in September of 2020, where her older brother Bill was in residence. Marge and Bill were able to enjoy their companionship until Bill’s death in 2021, and Marge was lovingly cared for at Kennybrook until a sudden change in her ongoing battle with diabetes in early October, 2022, necessitated hospitalization at Mercy Hospital in West Des Moines.
Marge was discharged after ten days to Kavanagh House in Des Moines, where she was lovingly cared for until her death on November 18. Throughout her time at Kennybrook, except when visitation was restricted during the worst of the pandemic, Merri called daily, visited several times a week when visitation opened again, and was with Marge daily during her five weeks at Kavanagh House.
Marge was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Frances Schulze of Jefferson, Iowa; and by her brother William Schulze, of Waukee, Iowa. She is survived by cousins and a nephew in Iowa, and by cousins in New York State. She is also survived by her friends Joe and Beth Riede of Des Moines, and her close friend and caregiver, Merri Monks, also of Des Moines.
Marge will be greatly missed by her cousins, by Joe and Beth, by Merri, and by her cat Oscar.
We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to the staff at Kennybrook Village, at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center, and at Kavanagh House for their skilled and tender care of Marge.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marge’s memory to Furry Friends Refuge (www.furryfriendsrefuge.org), 1211 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines, IA 50265.