Margaret E. Stegeman, 89, of Wolsey, S.D., died Friday, December 4, 2015 at Huron Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. Her funeral service was held at 11 am Saturday, December 12th at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey with the Rev. L. Scott Spiehs officiating. Burial was in St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Wolsey.
Margaret Elizabeth Beyer was born January 20, 1926, to Gustav and Meta (Jungemann) Beyer on the family farm northeast of Wolsey in Broadland Township, Beadle County, South Dakota.
She was reborn through the waters of Holy Baptism on February 21, 1926, and confirmed her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ on December 15, 1940, at St. John's Lutheran Church. For the first several years of her education she attended St. John's Lutheran Parochial School and then continued at the Fry Country School. During her high school years, she boarded with her great aunt and graduated from Wolsey High School in 1944.
On August 26, 1951, she married Gerhardt Ervin Stegeman at St. John's Lutheran Church with the Rev. David Loesch officiating. To this union five children were born. Family was always very important to her and she took great pride in everything she did while raising her family. Along with Gerhardt, they owned and operated a Grade A dairy farm in Vernon Township for 53 years. In December of 1991, they moved to Wolsey.
She was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church where she served on the altar guild and was a member of the LWML. She was also active in Lutheran Laymen's League.
She loved to travel, garden, bake, sew, crochet and attend her grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's events.
Grateful for having shared in her life are her five children, Joyce (Harry) Everhart of Artesian, Janice (David) Erfman of St. Lawrence, Al (Mary Kay) Stegeman of St. Charles, Mo., Jayne (Ron) Raabe of Brookings and Gene (Jacqueline) Stegeman of Brookings; twelve grandchildren, Bryan Everhart, David Everhart, Scott Everhart, Joshua Erfman, Sarah Schneider, April Stegeman, Andrea Tufo, Allen Stegeman, Nathan Raabe, Derek Raabe, Kyle Stegeman and Casey Stegeman; nine great-grandchildren, Abigail Everhart, Alexis Everhart, Griffin Everhart, Jordan Erfman, Jayden Erfman, Cameron Schneider, Jack Tufo, Avery Stegeman and Adley Stegeman; four step-grandchildren, Derek, Laura, Marina, and Mark Jelsma; two sisters-in-law, Lola Beyer of North Liberty, Iowa, and Alice M. (Richard) Mentzel of Huron; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gerhardt on April 24, 2001; two brothers, Reinhardt Beyer and Ervin Beyer; and a sister-in-law, Marie Beyer Knudson.