Margaret Stowe

Margaret W. I. Stowe, 90, of New Effington, passed away peacefully at St. Gerard's Community of Care in Hankinson, on Sunday, February 21, 2021.

Funeral services will be Thursday, February 25, at 2:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in New Effington officiated by Vicar Karie Geyer.  Music will be provided by Greta Leen.  The service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page.

Burial will be in the Garden of Rest Cemetery, New Effington. Pallbearers will be John Trittin, Wayne Braaten, Steve Parkhurst, Stanley Parkhurst, and Rodney Parkhurst.

Visitation will be Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Margaret Wilhelmina Irene Trittin was born on February 28, 1930, the second of four children born to Fred and Wilhelmina (Stoltenow) Trittin of Great Bend, ND. She graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1948 and attended Valley City Teachers College where she received her teaching certificate in 1949. She was a country school teacher for nine years.

On September 21, 1952, Margaret married Kenneth Stowe at Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend. Two children were born to them, Cheryl and Lori. They made their home 2 ½ miles from New Effington and lived there their entire married lives. In 1959, Ken and Margaret opened and operated Ken Mar Lanes in New Effington which they owned for 25 years and later repurchased along with partners for another five years.

Margaret was a very talented "lefty" with beautiful handwriting and was very skilled in painting and staining which she and several of her friends did as a business for many years. They were in high demand to do painting and interior work for many people in the community and surrounding areas. Where many of us would dread the thought of painting for hours on end, Margaret loved it and got much satisfaction from every completed job. It truly was her passion and she often said how much she wished she could still do it, even into her 90s.

Margaret was fun, fun-loving, kind, a gracious hostess, an excellent cook and baker, and a much-loved mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. She cared deeply about her family – always concerned about everyone's welfare. It gave her great joy to hear from several of her former country school students who often told her that they loved having had her for their teacher many years ago. She was very supportive of her husband, Ken, by being a good wife and helpmate. They enjoyed traveling with Lori to many fun places over the years and also doing some camping with the grandkids in years gone by. She loved to talk with the grandkids and play games with them when they were young. She'd always try to make them their favorite meal when they came for a visit.

Left to mourn her passing are her daughters, Cheryl (Dave) Koch of Maple Grove, MN, and Lori Stowe of New Effington; three grandchildren, Tim (Sarah) Koch of Maple Grove, Nicole (Scott) Davis of Ft. Worth, TX, and Lindsay (Zac Freidt) Koch of St. Michael, MN; eight great-grandchildren, James and Alick Koch, Rutledge and Vaughn Davis, Beau Rueter, and Arabella, Cirilla and Freya Freidt; sister,  Mary Ann Trittin of Hankinson; sister-in-law, Joan Trittin of Hankinson; brother-in-law, Curtis (LeAnn) Stowe of New Effington; and several nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; parents, Fred and Wilhelmina Trittin; sister, Darleen Braaten; brother, Wesley Trittin; parents-in-law, Alick and Hilda Stowe; and several brothers and sisters-in-law and nephews.