Margaret Elaine Scott

Margaret was born April 5, 1935, to Homer and Florence Knipmeyer in Mexico, Missouri, and was raised on the family farm in Pittsfield, Illinois. Upon graduation from high school, she attended nurse’s training in Alton, Illinois. There, a local Christian man sent his high-school-aged son Ralph every Sunday to drive some of the nurse trainees to church, hoping his son would fall for one of them instead of a more worldly girl. Sure enough, Ralph and Margaret fell for each other and married in 1954, during Ralph’s senior year of high school. They were married for 50 and a half years until Ralph’s death in 2005, and together they raised two daughters, Jeanie and Janet.

Ralph was called by God to be a pastor, and Margaret served faithfully by his side for 42 years as an incredible pastor’s wife in the Church of the Nazarene. Together they served congregations in Jerseyville, Mt. Carmel, Alorton/Belleville, and Decatur, Illinois; Gallipolis, Ohio; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Garden Grove, California. Margaret was wonderfully skilled as a hostess, welcoming district superintendents, evangelists, other pastors’ families, and teen groups into their home, and she was a great cook, serving many meals to church board members in gratitude for their service. During the early years of pastoring when money was tight, she also worked part-time at several department stores. At District Assemblies and Campmeetings in Illinois, she was selected to serve in the special dining room because she was always so gracious, and some years she and Ralph helped run the Snack Shack at camp. She later became Ralph’s secretary at several of their churches, creating newsletters and church bulletins, fielding phone calls, and warmly welcoming everyone who came through the door.

After their retirement from full-time pastoring and their move to Tempe, Arizona, Margaret continued her ministry of service, making and delivering meals to the sick and home-bound and for funeral dinners, and enjoying extra time with her Arizona grandsons. She lovingly cared for her own mother during her final two years, visiting her nursing home almost every day to paint her nails and chat with her.

Margaret’s priorities were her love for God, her love for her family, helping others, and her church. She always had a servant’s heart and was always thinking of others, even during her final days in the hospital. She never said an unkind word about anyone. She loved and walked with her Lord, Jesus Christ, all the days of her life from childhood, spending much time reading her Bible and praying for others.

Margaret loved her family immensely and was always concerned that everyone had plenty of good things to eat and drink and got enough rest. She enjoyed reading to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and her grandchildren fondly remember countless sleepovers at her house and her famous chicken and rice soup, delivered to the door whenever anyone was sick. She (Grammy) and Ralph (Scotty) took the family on many wonderful vacations to make good memories together, including trips to Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, many places in California (especially Disneyland and the beach), and Hawaii. In retirement, Margaret and Ralph obtained a time-share in Hawaii and enjoyed many trips there, often bringing family members and close friends to share the beauty with them. For several years they also kept a cowboy-themed vacation cabin in Show Low, Arizona, right next door to Jan and Rob’s cabin.

After Ralph’s death in 2005, Margaret remained active in her church and in service to others, bringing meals to neighbors and flowers to friends. Her oldest granddaughter Lindsey lived with her for the next nine years and brought her much comfort, and Margaret took great joy in her little dachshund Molly, a gift from Jan and Rob. She loved working in her garden (especially her roses), reading, swimming and water aerobics, baking and cooking, shopping, traveling, gathering with Jeanie and Janet and their families, keeping up with extended family, doing DoorDash with her sister Sammy, and spending time with friends. She enjoyed Christian music, Elvis songs and movies, and anything chocolate, especially ice cream. In 2022 she moved to Cadence Retirement Community, and she enjoyed good health for most of her life.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Homer and Florence Knipmeyer; her newborn twin, Marvin; her brother Melvin; and her loving husband, Ralph. She is survived by her daughters, Jeanie (Tim) Vogel of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and Jan (Rob) Sawyer of Tempe, Arizona; four grandchildren and their spouses, Lindsey (Eric) Vogel-Teeter, Heidi (Dustin) Lehrke, Ryan (Lauren) Sawyer, and Jason Sawyer; six great-grandchildren, Maddy, Laney, Emma, Scotty, Adelinde, and Reinhardt; her brother Dean (Renee) Knipmeyer; her sister Sammy Cassel; and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway to Work in Tempe, Arizona (grandson Jason’s day program) or to Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix.

Margaret was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Rest in peace, Grammy, and enjoy the beauties and joys of Heaven.