Margaret Straka

Margaret Mary Straka, 94, of O'Neill, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022 at Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in O'Neill.

Visitation was held Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022 at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill with a rosary.

Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 10, 2022 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill. Rev. Jerry Leise and Deacon MJ Kersenbrock officiated.

Burial was in the O'Neill Cemetery in O'Neill.

Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church or St. Mary's Catholic Schools, both in O'Neill.

Margaret was born on May 17, 1927 on a farm three miles northeast of Stuart, the second child of five born to Edwin and Agnes (Simons) Engler. She attended several country schools in the Stuart area. She was a boarder at O’Neill St. Mary’s Academy, graduating in 1944. The biggest entertainment of the time was the 4-H club meetings, school programs and on Sunday afternoons in the summer, the neighbors gathering to play baseball. 

On a nice September Sunday in 1945, Margaret met Alfred Straka on the way home from 4-H camp in O’Neill. They were married on Jan. 16, 1946 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stuart. 

Their first home was a farm eight miles southeast of Atkinson. They later moved to a farm southwest of Atkinson owned by John Coufal, living there for nine years. Margaret worked hard as most farm wives in those days, milking cows, raising chickens and hogs, gardening, canning, haying and much more. Three children were born to this union Janette, Janene and Dan.

In November 1957, the land was put in the soil bank so the family moved to Atkinson. Margaret got a job working with Sr. Laetitia in the kitchen at the Atkinson Hospital. 

In February 1960, the family moved six miles north of Atkinson to the Curry Farms. In the Spring of 1962, Alfred’s employment took them to P & P Farms. It was there that Margaret started feeding the hired men. She made breakfast and supper for nine to 10 men. The noon meal was for as many as 39 guys. Doing this in a single wide trailer house, she fed them in two shifts. She also sold Avon and Beeline Clothes. 

In 1965, Alfred took employment managing a farm for Phoenix Investment Company and they moved eight miles north and two east of Atkinson. 

In January of 1966, they moved to the Dowd Farms north of O’Neill. Margaret was again cooking for hired men. 

In 1973 she took a job as office manager of Telemaster Cable TV.  When cable TV moved to Grand Island, Margaret went to work at O’Neill City Offices.

In 1983, the couple built a home east of O’Neill on Hwy 108. In 1997, they moved into O’Neill and Margaret went to work for KN Energy.

Alfred and Margaret took many trips through the years. They loved watching the grandkids and great-grandkids activities. Margaret liked an occasional trip to the casino, loved to play Bingo and Texas Hold’Em and watching sports and game shows on TV.

Margaret was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, St. Patrick’s Altar Society â€" serving as president, and Catholic Daughters of America.

Alfred passed away in 2008. In April of 2017, Margaret went to live at the Evergreen Assisted Living in O’Neill. 

Margaret is survived by her three children Janette (Ron) Asher, Janene (Steve) Peterson and Dan (Mary) Straka all of O’Neill; nine grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; one brother Dr. John (Dottie) Engler of Gretna; two sisters Eileen (John) Schmit of O’Neill and Helen Stokley of Valentine; and one sister-in-law Marilyn (Lou) Liable of Atkinson.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edwin and Agnes (Simons) Engler, her husband Alfred A. Straka and one brother Leonard Engler.