Obituary of Margaret Alberta Svendsen

A funeral service for Margaret Svendsen, age 93, of Milford, will be held Monday, February 22nd at 10:30AM at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Milford Cemetery. Margaret Alberta Svendsen was born on January 27, 1923 in Spencer, Iowa to Albert and Mary Askeland. Margaret was baptized at First Lutheran Church and later confirmed there on June 20, 1937. She graduated from Milford Community School in 1940. On December 22, 1944 Margaret was united in marriage to Dale M. Svendsen in San Diego, California while he served in the US Marine Corp. The couple made their home and raised their children, Carla and William (Bill), in Milford, Iowa. Throughout the years, Margaret worked at Jacobs Store, Stylecraft, and Newman's Laundry. Margaret was a longtime active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 384 of Milford. She always had a love of dogs and children, and for years provided in-home childcare to many local families. Margaret enjoyed knitting, quilting, crochet and needlework. She also spent many hours gardening, canning her produce, and sharing it with friends and family. Margaret enjoyed living in her Milford home until the age of 89 when she moved into the Milford Nursing Home. She later relocated to Tennessee in order to spend time with grandchildren for the past two years. Margaret passed away Friday, February 12, 2016 with family by her side at her care facility in Franklin, Tennessee. She was 93 years of age. Margaret is survived by her sisters-in-law, Joy (Clarence) Askeland of Worthington, Minnesota and Beulah (Donald) Graettinger of Estherville, Iowa; son-in-law, Larry (Carla) Miller of Lakefield, Minnesota with grandchildren, Tamara and husband David Warren of Franklin Tennessee, Terence and wife Julia Miller of Madison Wisconsin and Troy Miller of Franklin Tennessee; daughter-in-law, Jean (William) Svendsen of Luverne Minnesota with grandchildren, Dawn and husband Ron Dorschner of Worthington Minnesota, Trent Svendsen of Luverne Minnesota; and daughter-in-law Donna (William) Svendsen of Spencer Iowa; great-grandchildren, Nathan, Hannah and Jonathan Warren, Angela, Henry and Rachel Miller and Stephen, Gabriel and Bethany Dorschner; and several nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband Dale; children, Carla and William; siblings, Clarence and Kathryn (Katie) and her parents. BLESSED BE HER MEMORY! Margaret's family will donate any fresh flowers to the church and Milford Nursing Center. All memorials will be donated in Margaret's name to First Lutheran Church