Margaret J Stahl

Margaret “Maggie” Stahl left this life adventure for another, new and unexplored, on August 2, 2017, when the breast cancer she overcame in 2008 returned with a vengeance. She was at home, embraced in the loving arms of her family.

Maggie was born April 24, 1934, in Mason City, Iowa, to Milford L. and Leona M. Scherf. After graduating from Mason City High School, she packed up her potential and all she had learned, put on a cute hat, and headed out to change the world. She began at Milligan College in Tennessee until finances forced her to drop out. Her second stop was Chicago, where she lived and worked with her childhood best friend, Bea Anderson. Bea and Maggie longed to be “real” sisters, a dream that came true when Bea married Maggie’s brother, Milford M. Scherf. Maggie soon met Bea’s cousin, Charles L. Peterson, a kindred adventurous soul, and doubled-down on that dream.

Chuck and Margaret married in 1955, while he a young airman in the US Navy. They lived in many places and traveled to many more. Margaret and Chuck taught their children to love the ocean, camping, and spontaneous adventures. Chuck died in 1981. Margaret returned to college, earning degrees in Accounting and in Spanish. Those skills proved useful during her time as an accountant at the San Diego County Recorder’s Office.

Margaret married Clyde T. Stahl in January 1986. Their life together centered on beloved friends, their enormous family, building street rods and driving them across America, camping in the Anzo-Borrego Desert, and fishing in Baja Mexico. Too many wasted conversations tried to convince them that octogenarians shouldn’t drive alone to Mulegé, Baja Mexico, in a pickup truck, with only sleeping bags and fishing poles.

Margaret leaves a legacy of love to her five children: Cherie [Tim] McCandless, Carrie [Paul] Beauchamp, Polly Bernhard, Terry Peterson, and Mike [Erin] Peterson; her bonus children: Steve Stahl, Mark Stahl, Holly Polansky-Stahl, Genette Edwards, and Gail [Al] Pahio; 33 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and every person that crossed her path.

We will gather to share our memories and celebrate a life well lived at 11:00am on Friday, August 11, at Eastlake Church Upper Campus, 990 Lane Avenue, Chula Vista. Maggie asked that we not wear black. Lunch and mariachis will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation [www.bcrfcure.org]. Condolences and memories may be left in Margaret’s online guestbook at www.humphreymortuary.com