Margaret Jennings Kirschner

Margaret was born on March 30, 1926, in Gurdon, AR, the daughter of Chester S. and Emma O. Pugh Jennings. She married Henry C. Kirschner on June 21, 1947, at First Baptist Church in St. Joseph, MO; he preceded her in death on November 28, 2009.

Margaret graduated from Gurdon High School and attended Draughons Business College in Little Rock, AR. At age 17, she went to Washington, DC to work as a secretary to Louis E. Hoffman, Chief of Mineral Division for the Department of Interior. While there, she received offers to work on Capitol Hill with a Congressman from Iowa and a Congressman from her home state of Arkansas. When asked why she left such an exciting environment she said it was to accept the BEST offer an invitation to marry her sweetheart Henry Kirschner.

Margaret was a member of numerous clubs and civic organizations, including the UIS Chancellors Club and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Foundation where she was a charter member. She supported the Arts and Education and held lifetime memberships in the Springfield Symphony Guild, Springfield Garden Club, Lincoln Memorial Gardens, Illinois State Museum, and the Dana Thomas House Foundation. Margaret was also a member and past president of the P.E.O. Chapter FU and Willing Circle of Kings Daughters. For fifty years, she was an active member of the Womens Golf Association and Illini Country Club.

She was the co-founder of the Noble Foundation, which provides scholarships for church interns and college students. Margaret was a 60-year member of Central Baptist Church where she taught 8th grade Sunday school and served on many boards and committees. Her passion was Youth Christian Education.

Margarets social activities included golf, ballroom dancing, and bridge. She was an amazing cook and enjoyed sharing her recipes with her children and grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Olon and Herman Jennings.

She is survived by her four children, David E. Kirschner of Springfield, Philip S. (wife, Cheryl) Kirschner of Snohomish, Wash., Mary C. Kirschner of Springfield, Pamela J. (husband, Bill Bolduc) Kirschner Bolduc of Wilmington, N.C.; four grandchildren, Khajha (husband David Rogers) Kirschner Rogers of Everett, Wash., Lindsay (husband, Marcus Perry) Kirschner Perry of Friendswood, TX, Haley J. Bolduc and Logan J. Bolduc of Wilmington, N.C.; great-grandchildren, Avery Margaret and Ella Evangeline Perry; brother, William (wife, Doris) Jennings of TX; and many cousins, nieces, nephews.

Visitation: Family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at Boardman-Smith Funeral Home, 800 South Grand Avenue West, Springfield.

Celebration of Life: 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 26, 2018, at Boardman-Smith Funeral Home with Rev. Josh Sabo officiating.

Interment will be held at a later date at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Henry & Margaret Kirschner Scholarship Fund either at Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703 or University of Illinois, 1305 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 or Central Baptist Church, 501 S. 4th St., Springfield, IL 62703.