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Margaret Ann Thiese
Margaret Ann Thiese
Elkader
Margaret Ann Thiese passed away Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Gardens of Cedar Rapids at the age of 87.
Margaret Ann Thiese, daughter of Michael Sheaver and Pearl Henrietta Sheaver, was born February 4, 1938, in Cedar Rapids, IA. When Margaret was two years old, her family moved to Minneapolis, MN. She was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on August 3, 1950, at the Theocracy’s Increase Convention in New York City.
Margaret graduated from Miller Vocational High School in 1956 and worked for General Electric Company.
On January 4, 1958, she married Oliver Roy Thiese, Jr. and moved to rural Elkader, IA. The pair farmed with Oliver’s parents. Margaret and her husband served together as full-time ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses for two years until the birth of their first child.
Margaret worked hard on the farm, as well as gardening, canning, and freezing farm produce. She was a very caring mother, wife, and friend, who would do what she could to help others and encourage people. She cared for her husband for many years, until his death in 2022.
She is survived by her children: Robin (Danny) Hurst of Cresco, IA; Michael (Melissa) Thiese of Mason City, IA; Pauline Leinen of Cedar Rapids, IA; Joel (Elizabeth) Thiese of Elkader, IA. Grandchildren: Samuel (Carissa) Hurst of Canton, IL; Jacob (Laura) Hurst of Van Nuys, CA; Laura (Whitney) Lindholm of Gladstone, OR; Matthew Hurst of Gladstone, OR; Sonya (David) Schide of Norman, OK; Mariah (Lars) Rasmussen of Rochester, MN; Brittney Leinen and her fiancé Dylan Finch of Hiawatha, IA; Claire (Aaron) Berger of Elkader, IA; Joel, Jr., Alexis, Arthur, Ruby, Clarence, and Vernon Thiese of Elkader, IA. Great-grandchildren: Crystal Lindholm, Alexys and Calvin Hurst, Ella Rasmussen, Logan Hurst, and James Berger. She is also survived by three nieces.
She is preceded in death by her husband Oliver; parents Michael and Pearl Sheaver; her infant daughter, Mary; and her siblings James Sheaver, Rose Sheaver, and Dorothy Galka.
A visitation will be held April 13, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., with the funeral following at 2:00 p.m. at the Elkader Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 26521 IA Highway 13, Elkader, IA 52043.
Online condolences may be left at www.iowacremation under obituaries.
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