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ARLINGTON - - Margaret L. Thies, 43 of Arlington died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2002, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Margaret Chalk was born May 12, 1959, in Anadarko, Okla. She grew up in Colorado and was a graduate of New Raymer High School in New Raymer, Colo. She attended nursing school in Colorado and was a licensed practical nurse. She moved to Omaha in 1982 and was employed at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Omaha for two years. She moved to the Arlington area in 1993.

She married Paul Thies on Aug. 24, 1985, in Omaha.

She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Arlington and was the organizer for Samaritan Purse for underprivileged children at St. Paul’s. She attended Bible Study Fellowship in Fremont. She was a member of Moms in Touch and Mothers of Pre-schoolers (MOP), both in Fremont; was a 4-H leader; board member of Arlington Youth Sports Baseball; and chairman of Arlington Youth Football fundraising.

Survivors include: her husband; three sons, Troy, Dillon and Sean Thies, all at home; her mother, Ann Chalk of New Raymer; three brothers, Thomas (and wife, Karen) Chalk of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Douglas (and wife, Christy) Chalk of Fort Morgan, Colo.; and Michael Chalk of New Raymer; a sister, Deborah (Mrs. John) Huber of Louisville; her mother-in-law, Katherine Thies of Omaha; five brothers-in-law, Roger Thies of Northeast, Pa.; Everett (and wife, Patti) Thies of St. Paul, Minn.; David (and wife, Lois) Thies of Papillion; James (and wife, Lorraine) Thies of Grapevine, Texas; and John Thies of Omaha; and five sisters-in-law, Linda (Mrs. Erv) Minderman and Patty Thies, all of Omaha; Karen and Meredith McWilliams, both of Denver; and Kathy (Mrs. Steve) Larsen of Little Elm, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her father and father-in-law.

The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, north of Arlington with the Rev. Rick Kanoy officiating. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington with the family receiving friends from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to service time at the church. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery, north of Arlington.

Memorials have been established to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Camp Lutheran in Schuyler.

#2 Funeral Leaflet

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The Life Story of Margaret Lee Thies

Margaret Lee (Chalk) Thies was born on May 12, 1959 in Anadarko, Oklahoma to Winford and Ann Chalk. A few years later, the family moved to the northeast part of Colorado, and settled permanently outside New Raymer. Margaret’s father was a farmer and rancher, so she learned to ride horses, drive farm trucks and dodge rattlesnakes. Margaret was your typical tomboy, playing in the dirt, throwing balls and never liking to wear a dress. She grew up with her siblings, Mike, Debby, Tom and Doug.

She attended Prairied elementary and high school and graduated in 1977. She attended nursing school at Presbyterian Hospital in Denver, Colorado and became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). After working for a foot clinic in Sterling, she moved to Omaha near her sister Debby and brother-in-law John and worked at the Veterans Home.

In August of 1984, she met her future husband, Paul Thies, at the Bombay Bicycle Club. It was a blind date arranged by Paul’s sister, Kathy, who also worked at the Veterans Home. Both Paul and Margaret couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other, and they knew that this was the beginning of something special. In February of 1985, Paul proposed to Margaret, and on August 24, 1985, Paul’s father, Reverent Delbert I Thies officiated at their wedding at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Omaha.

After suffering through five miscarriages, the Lord blessed Margaret and Paul with a son, Troy, on December 14, 1989. Margaret became a “stay-at-home” mother and started up a babysitting business. On February 10th, 1992, she gave birth to their second son, Dillon. In May of 1993, they purchased an established farm acreage, without a house, north of Arlington, Nebraska. Both Margaret and Paul wanted to raise their sons in a rural community and live on a farm. They moved to Arlington in July of 1993, joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and began building their “dream” home. Margaret gave birth to their third son, Sean, on October 3, 1993. They moved into their new home, before Christmas, in December of 1994.

Margaret was involved in home-based businesses and many activities outside the home. She attended Bible Study Fellowship, was a member of MOPS (Mothers of Pre-schoolers), church prayer group, Moms in Touch, and served on the Arlington youth baseball, football and basketball boards. She was very active in her sons’ school, 4-H, and sport activities. She enjoyed back and foot rubs, hot tea, beautiful sunsets, going out to eat, and the company of family and friends.

In June of 1996, a cancerous tumor was successfully removed from her spine. However, in December of 1996, she and Paul were told that she had a cancer of the plasma cells located in the bone marrow, called Multiple Myeloma. She went through standard chemotherapy in the fall of 1997 and a peripheral stem cell transplant in winter of 1998. She was in remission until July of 2000, when she was given the bad news that the cancer was back. She went through another round of chemotherapy in 2000 and another transplant in winter of 2001. She stayed in remission until June of 2002. After six years of battling this disease, her body could not support her any longer and she was called home in the early afternoon of September 24, 2002.

Margaret never wanted this dreaded disease and does not want others to remember her in this way. It slowly drained her body, but it never drained her willingness to live her life to the fullest and provide joy to others around her. It caused her much physical pain, but it never broke her faith and did not prevent her from having a smile on her face and telling everyone she was fine. It finally took her body, but it did not take her spirit and our loving memories of her.

Remember the joy, laughter, and good times you shared with her. Remember, most of all, that she is now in a place where there is no more pain and suffering, but everlasting peace.

Margaret, we will always love and remember you.

In Loving Memory of Margaret Lee Thies

Born May 12, 1959 Anadarko, Oklahoma ~ Entered Into Rest September 24, 2002 Omaha, Nebraska Age 43 years, 4 months, 12 days

Service of Christian Burial 10:30 A.M. Saturday, September 28, 2002 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Arlington, Nebraska. Officiating: The Reverend Rick Kanoy. Organist: Denise Buss.

Pallbearers: Everett Thies, James Thies, John Thies, David Thies, Roger Thies, John Huber. Alternate: Erv Minderman

Interment: St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Arlington, Nebraska.

Arrangements by Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home, Arlington, Nebraska

Margaret’s Brochure prepared by Kuzelka-Minnick Funeral Home, West Point, Nebraska

The family of Margaret Thies wishes to thank you for your kindness and sympathy and invite you to lunch at the parish hall immediately following the committal service.

~~~ Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska~~~

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