Margery B. Fennema, 93 of Tyndall and formerly of Avon

An Open House Memorial Gathering will be held from 2 p to 4 pm at the Meadow View Manor in Avon, SD on Sunday, October 11, 2009. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home of Avon is in charge of the arrangements.

Margery Blanche Fennema was born in rural Platte, SD on January 9, 1916, the daughter of LeRoy and Helen (Rosencrance) Harding. She died Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the Wagner Community Memorial Hospital in Wagner, SD. Margery attained the age of 93 years, eight months and 24 days.

Margery attended rural school south of Platte and graduated from Platte High School in 1934. She graduated from Southern Normal Teachers' College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. Margery also received her Masters Degree from the University of South Dakota. She taught school in White, SD, Steckman Rural School in Charles Mix County, and later in the Tyndall school system.

During World War II, Margery worked as a welder in the ship yards in Tacoma, WA. After retiring from teaching, she read for books on tapes for the South Dakota State Library, a service for the blind.

Margery married Ted Fennema on March 10, 1947 in Lake Andes. Three children were blessed to their union. They lived in the Avon/Dante area, where they farmed and ranched. Margery became a resident of the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall in 2005. Ted died February 10, 2005.

Margery was a 4-H leader, a member of the Nova Neighbors, the South Dakota Education Association, National Education Association, and the Retired Teachers Organization.

Margery will be remembered for her enjoyment of reading, doing crossword puzzles, cryptaquotes and jumbles, taking family pictures and growing flowers.

Thankful for sharing her life are her daughter Lu Ellen Heibel and husband Vennie of Pierre; her two sons: Gary and wife Pam of Avon and Gale of Dante; seven grandchildren: Brett and Scott Heibel; Lee, Keith and Katie Fennema; and Ted and Marie Fennema; and one sister, Mabel Duba of Platte.

Margery was preceded in death by her husband, Ted; parents; two brothers: Leslie and Chester Harding; and three sisters: LeRue Henthorne, Doris Knight and Helen Schroeder.