Margaret Mary Straub

Margaret Mary (Nowatzki) Straub passed away January 5, 2019 in Kansas City, MO. A rosary will be prayed Thursday, January 10 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Kansas City, MO at 5:30 pm followed by a visitation from 6 pm - 8 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, January 11 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church at 10:00 am. Burial will follow at St. Joseph's Church cemetery in Flush, KS with a graveside service at 4 pm.

Margaret (known as “Peggy” to many) was born May 4, 1938 in Walhalla, North Dakota to Joseph Ambrose and Eva Marie (Pelletier) Nowatzki. Margaret grew up on the family farm and attended elementary school in a one-room school house near Mt. Carmel, ND. Her father passed away when she was thirteen years old leaving behind her mother and four younger siblings to manage the farm. Her mother married Martin Hell, who was a devoted husband to Eva and step-father to Margaret and her siblings. Margaret attended high school at St. Alphonsus Catholic High School in Langdon, ND. Because the family farm was far from town, she lived in town working for room and board while attending high school. Margaret received a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics Education from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN and taught high school in New Ulm, MN and Hazen, ND. She then moved to Manhattan, KS where she earned a master’s degree in Home Economics Education from Kansas State University. She taught there at the college level as well as supervised student teachers.

Margaret met her husband of 36 years Wilfred Straub while she lived in Manhattan. They married in 1969 and had three sons, Philip, Henry (Hank) and Edward (Eddie). After having children, Margaret became a homemaker focusing on the family, but never lost her passion for teaching. She served as PTA president and room mother for all three of her sons, volunteered in the nurse’s office, taught religion class, led a small Christian faith group, volunteered as an officer in her neighborhood association, tutored and worked in school libraries, along with countless other generous donations of her time and talents. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She genuinely cared for everyone she met and will be profoundly missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilfred, parents, and brothers James and Robert. Survivors include her sons, Philip and wife Michele (Overland Park, KS), Hank and wife Debbie (Olathe, KS) and Edward Straub (Kansas City); eleven grandchildren, brother John Nowatzki (Fargo, ND), sister Catherine Linzbach (Merrifield, MN) and a wealth of nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kansas City, MO.

(Arr: McGilley Antioch Chapel, www.mcgilleyantiochchapel.com, 816-453-7700)