Margaret Lynch

Margaret Lynch, 87, of Gladbrook, died Monday, October 27, 2008, at Westbrook Acres Nursing Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 30th, 2008, at Gladbrook United Methodist Church with Pastor Roger White officiating. Burial will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Thursday morning. Memorials may be directed to the family. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Margaret and her family. Ph 641-844-1234. Margaret was born on July 22, 1921, in Fredsville, Iowa. She was the daughter of Hans K. and Ottilia (Haagard) Pedersen. She attended country school until 8th grade, attended 3 years at Teachers College High School in Cedar Falls, and then attended 1 year at Cedar Falls High School, where she graduated in 1940. She went on to attend Gates Business School in Waterloo. After business school, Margaret and a few of her girlfriends moved west to southern California. Margaret worked at Kaiser Shipyards in Los Angeles. She moved back to Iowa in early 1946 and worked at the Iowa Unemployment Agency in Waterloo until 1948. On February 27, 1948, Margaret married Howard Lynch at the Fredsville Lutheran Church. They were the last couple to be married at this church before it was torn down. After marriage, the couple farmed near Grundy Center for 4 years, moved to a farm at Reinbeck for 10 years, moved to a farm at Gladbrook for 19 years, and then retired from farming in 1981 and moved to town. Margaret worked in all aspects of the farm, caring for cattle, pigs, chickens, drove tractors, canning and gardening, and mowing. She was a Cub Scout leader, assistant Sunday school superintendent at the Presbyterian Church in Reinbeck, volunteered at MMSC Heart Rehab area for 13 years, and was a member of the Gladbrook United Methodist Church. She enjoyed cats, playing 500 and Pepper, and music, especially church hymns and music from the 1940s. Surviving Margaret are her husband of over 60 years, Howard, of Gladbrook; her son, Kent A. (Ann) Lynch of Peoria, IL; her brother, Peter (Blanche) Pedersen; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Harold Pedersen; and her sister, Ellen Groote.