Margaret Ann Wischmeier, known to her legion of friends as Marg, died July 28, 2021 in Tallahassee, FL following a life that was full and long and rich in the best of ways. She was born to Melva and Charles Ritter on Jan. 27, 1931, in the tiny farming community of Sac City, Iowa. Her father grew corn. As a small child, she emerged as an extrovert and an entertainer and that she would be for all of her days. She was the life of countless parties, gatherings and events. She was big that way. It mattered not a whit that she was, as Marg said about herself, “short on one end.”
She married Richard Wischmeier of Burlington, Iowa, on Dec. 27, 1950. In Burlington, the couple would own Sickels Cleaners and Launderers and raise a family.
Marg read the paper wherever she lived, taking an active interest always in the places she called home. She met people easily and well. For years, she volunteered at Planned Parenthood. She served committees, effectually. She made a difference.
She fed the birds and made contributions to the World Wildlife Fund. For much of her adult life, she was a member of the First United Church of Christ in Burlington.
Her love of cooking she passed on to two generations; appreciated a good tomato, especially those harvested from gardens in Iowa; savored fine cuts of meat; and was something of a fried catfish connoisseur. Her favorite car ever was a convertible. She loved beaches, the Gulf of Mexico, flip-flops and shovelnose lobsters dipped in drawn butter. She collected pelican figurines.
She shared her husband’s passion for tennis and golf. She extended to her children the freedom to make mistakes and each member of the fivesome turned out all right. She pulled off four-generation family reunions that any sane person would have regarded as logistical impossibilities. For Marg, too much, too many and today were just right. Nothing had to wait until tomorrow. At her table, there was a plate for everyone.
Her husband and a sister, Noni, preceded her in death. She is survived by a brother and his wife, Chuck Ritter (Vickie) of Laguna Woods, CA, California; her five children and their spouses Rick Wischmeier (Joan) of Madison, Wisconsin, Randy Wischmeier (Nancy) of Burlington, Iowa, Margot Wischmeier (Steve Bornhoft) of Panama City Beach, Florida, Marc Wischmeier (Lucy) of St. Louis and Michelle Juarez (Paddy) of Tallahassee, Florida; eight grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Marg would say about an appliance or an automobile or an article of clothing that exceeded its life expectancy, when finally it was retired, “Well, it didn’t owe you anything.” Marg died not owing us, or life, anything. We who knew her, were nurtured by her, enlivened by her and enriched by her — we are in her debt.
Memorial contributions may be made in Marg’s honor to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (weareplannedparenthood.org) or the World Wildlife Fund (support.worldwildlife.org).
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