Margaret Elizabeth Dahlstrom

Margaret E. Dahlstrom, 97, of Waukon, IA went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 17 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Center Baptist Church in rural Lansing, IA at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 22 with Pastor Matthew Majewski and Danny Volbrecht officiating. Burial is at Center Baptist Church Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Monday at Martin Funeral Home Waukon.

Margaret Elizabeth (Lomen) Dahlstrom was born on May 24, 1918 at Decorah Hospital in Decorah, IA. She was the oldest of three children born to Arthur and Emma (Teske) Lomen. Margaret grew up on the family farm and enjoyed helping her dad work the horses in the fields, feed the farm animals, and split the wood for the fire. When she was not busy outside, Margaret enjoyed helping her mom with the cooking, baking, and household chores. Margaret attended Winneshiek County country school through the 8th grade and graduated from Decorah High School on her birthday in 1935. She then went on to complete the needed classes for her teaching certificate at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA allowing her to teach at Winneshiek County Schools for 2 and ½ years.

On December 25, 1940 Margaret married Howard LeRoy Dahlstrom at the Methodist parsonage in Giard, IA. They were married almost 38 years before Howard's passing in 1978. Together they had eight children: four sons and four daughters, with the last two being twins born on New Year's Day. Howard and Margaret farmed together all of their married life. Margaret helped with the dairy herd milking operation along with tending to many other farm animals including ducks, chickens, pigs, sheep, and horses. She raised large gardens and canned many jars of good food for the winter, even meat. Somehow besides farming and raising a family, she also found time to be a Census taker, cook at the Village Creek Bible Camp and the Lunch Box restaurant in Waukon, 4-H and AWANA leader, Farm Bureau Women co-chair for almost 20 years, and an Avon representative selling Avon for over 40 years. She even found time to sell hickory nuts she cracked and picked. As an active member of Center Baptist Church, Margaret volunteered her time as a pianist, Sunday school teacher, and WMS president for many years.

One of Margaret's favorite things to do was baking goodies. At the age of 16, Margaret won a 1st prize blue ribbon at the county fair for her homemade bread which she baked in her kitchen wood stove. Margaret has two cookbooks with "Gram's Goodies." She was also an avid reader, which is probably one of the reasons her mind stayed so sharp her entire life. Margaret was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. She thought the world of her family. She said she led a full and active life blessed with a great family and many wonderful friends. When surrounded by her loved ones in her last hours here on earth, she remarked, "It all went by so fast." She had a strong faith and a deep love for her Heavenly Father and her Savior Jesus Christ and many times with family at her bedside, she remarked "Be good. See you later."

She is survived by five of her children: Karen (Gordon) Anderson of Waterville, Elinor (Dan) Emerson of Waukon, Roger (Carol) Dahlstrom of Ankeny, Linda (Jim) Seibert of Waukon, and Keith (Cathy) Dahlstrom of Cedar Falls; 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren; a sister Kathryn (Monte) Poen of Flagstaff, AZ. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three of her children: a daughter, Sandra Dahlstrom, and two sons, Gary and Bruce Dahlstrom; her brother, Robert Lomen; and a great-great-grandchild, Samantha Karen Enyart.

Pallbearers are Trevor Seibert, Joshua Emerson, David Enyart, Jr., Michael Dahlstrom, Bruce Dahlstrom, Jr., Jason Dahlstrom, Brian Dahlstrom, and Brent Dahlstrom. Honorary pallbearers are Mike Moody, Kent McCormick, Dave Ericson and her grandchildren.