Margaret was born at Samaritan Hospital in Macon, MO in 1932 to Thelma Winifred (Scott) and Thomas Hartcel Hartman, and grew up in Macon with her sister, Helen, and brother, Thomas Jr. Margaret attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, MO for a year before transferring to the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. Margaret graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education then achieved a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from University of Missouri-Kansas City. She was a life-long ardent Missouri Tigers athletics fan!
Margaret married Blaine Edward Strader in 1956, settled in Kansas City, and taught school for nine years in the Kansas City MO School District before becoming the proud mother of daughter, Marilyn, and son, Thomas. After taking a break for 10 years to raise her children, Margaret returned to teaching in the Raytown School District, primarily at Blue Ridge Elementary School plus a few years at Robinson Elementary School, retiring from Blue Ridge in 1998.
Margaret was a lifelong Methodist, serving many years as a Sunday school teacher at Blue Ridge Blvd United Methodist Church in Kansas City, MO. Most recently, she was a member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS where she served on a mission trip to Africa.
After retirement, she volunteered at Red Bird Mission School in Kentucky for a year. She was a member of several United Methodist Women's Circles and a member of PEO.
Margaret loved to play bridge with her friends every week. She also loved adventure, having traveled to too many places to list, including the Holy Land and the Galapagos Islands. She loved water sports, learning to scuba dive with her kids before enjoying excursions to the Bahamas, Florida and Hawaii together. She swam for fitness into her 80s. She cherished reading and discussing books in her ever-present book clubs. She and her son particularly enjoyed reading and discussing Clive Cussler books.
Margaret was a devout woman of faith who embodied Jesus’ teachings, loved her family very much, and lived a life of service to others. She gave gallons of blood, served as President of Southwood Elementary School PTA, and organized many swim meets for the Raytown Swim Club Team. Her capacity for nurturing and caring was limitless, which she used providing respite care for others at the Shepard’s Center of Raytown for several years.
Margaret is survived by: sister, Helen (Hartman) Neff, of Macon, MO; daughter Marilyn Jean (Strader) Shireman and husband Paul of Lee’s Summit, MO; son Thomas Edward Strader and wife Ana Paula (Venancio) of Madison, WI; Grandchildren Jillian Margaret Strader, Luana Marilyn Strader and James Thomas Strader of Madison, WI; nieces Katherine (Neff) Krause of Tuscaloosa, AL, Rebecca (Neff) DeSpain of Macon, MO , Deborah Neff of Macon, MO and Patricia (Neff) Halley of Macon, MO and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, mother-in-law Effie Pearl Strader, father-in-law Louis Bernard Strader, brother, and nephew William Neff Jr. (Billy) of Chevy Chase, MD.
Margaret was laid to rest at Floral Hills Cemetery in Kansas City, MO on April 4, 2020 in a private ceremony due to crowd restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic. A celebration of Margaret’s life will be planned for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Margaret H. Strader to: United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe Ave. Leawood, KS 66224 or the Raytown Educational Foundation, 10750 E 350 Highway, Raytown, MO 64138.
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