Margaret Kracht, age 91 passed- away peacefully on March 21, 2018 at the Armour Rehabilitation and Care Center in Armour, SD after years of struggling with Alzheimer's.

Funeral services will be at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell, SD at 11:00 am on April 12, 2018  Following cremation there will be a grave side service at the DeSmet Cemetery at  12:00 Noon April 13, 2018 followed by fellowship and lunch at the Event & Wellness Center at 705 Wilderlane in DeSmet, SD.

Margaret was born in Kansas City, Missouri on April 2, 1926 to William and Elizabeth (Griebel) Stratemeier.  She grew up in Kansas City graduating from Southeast High School in 1944.  She received an Associate of Arts Degree from Junior College of Kansas City in June of 1946.  She then went to work for the Kansas City Welfare Department as a secretary in City Hall in downtown Kansas City.

She met her husband, Gene at a dance in May of 1946 when he was in the US Army and stationed at Ft Leavenworth, Kansas. After being married in 1947 they made their home in DeSmet, SD where they lived until moving to Kansas City in 1952.  In 1954 they moved back to DeSmet.  1974 they moved to Watertown and in 1994 moved to Mitchell, SD.  She has been in Armour since 2015.

Margaret was an office worker in an attorney's office, Secretary to Clerk of Courts for Kingsbury  County  and office worker for DeSmet Farm Mutual Insurance while living in DeSmet.  In Watertown she worked as a receptionist at St Ann's Hospital until her retirement in 1988.

Margaret was a member of the United Church of Christ and in the choir in all communities in which she lived.  In Mitchell she volunteered at Longfellow Elementary school being a reader and listening to students read in a one-on-one setting.  During the summer she also helped out during the noon meal program at Longfellow.

She was an avid bowler in the winter and golfer in the summer in all communities.  She was in bowling and golf leagues and once had a hole-in-one.  She enjoyed collecting dolls, heart shaped boxes and miniature furniture, as well as having a Christmas village.

Preceding her in death were her husband Gene(2004), parents, an infant sister, Mildred, a brother, Richard and a sister Martha.

Margaret is survived by sisters Helen Stockham and Marilyn King, both KC, MO area.  A son Steve, Mitchell, a son Rod(Kerry), Denver, CO, a son Les (Bev), Katy, TX a daughter Margene (Missy)(Rod) Jorgensen, Armour, SD,  10 grandchildren,  7 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews in Missouri & California.