Margaret Dorothy Fenner

Margaret Dorothy Katherine Fenner of 30th Street in Columbus died Sunday morning, January 13, 2013, in Lexington, Kentucky. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church. Mrs. Fenner was a resident of Columbus for 47 years. She was a 1st-grade teacher at St. Peter’s Lutheran School for 20 years, enjoying teaching generations of children and “seeing their light bulbs turn on” when they learned how to read. Margaret loved music, playing piano and organ, and attending musical events her entire life. She passed on that music appreciation to her children and grandchildren. She was a tour guide for the Columbus Welcome Center for many years, meeting people from all over the world. Margaret also taught ESL classes to Japanese ladies at Grace Church. She was always an encourager and educator to her family and those around her. The funeral will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 21, 2013, at Grace Lutheran Church, 3201 Central Avenue, with the Pastor John Armstrong officiating. Calling will be from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday at Myers-Reed Chapel on 25th Street and one hour prior to the service Monday at the church. Burial will be at Garland Brook Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Grace Lutheran Church or to the donor’s choice of charities. Online condolences may be sent to the Fenner family at www.myers-reed.com. Mrs. Fenner was born September 22, 1928, in Decatur, Indiana, the daughter of Herman and Bertha Haar Nielsen. She liked to play baseball with her brothers and played organ with her father at church. She graduated from Monmouth High School and after attending two years at River Forest Lutheran Teacher’s College, taught school at Faith Lutheran School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She married Walther Donald Fenner August 8, 1953, in Cincinnati, Ohio. After raising four sons, Margaret served as a substitute teacher at many Bartholomew County schools and returned to finish her degree at River Forest prior to teaching at St. Peter’s. Mr. and Mrs. Fenner enjoyed traveling and taking part in seeing their grandchildren grow. Survivors include a brother, Walter of Fort Wayne, Indiana; sons Richard (Judy) Fenner of Kenner, Louisiana, Michael (Angie) Fenner of Jacksonville, Illinois, Thomas (Lisa) Fenner of Lexington, Kentucky, and Keith (Donna) Fenner of Bayside, New York; grandchildren, Christopher, Nicholas, Brittany, Grace, Erica, Will, John, Emma, and Calvin Fenner; and many nieces and nephews and their families. Mrs. Fenner lived independently for the last years of her life after her husband died in 2006, and enjoyed seeing friends from church and past students throughout the community. Most importantly, Mrs. Fenner shared her faith and love for Jesus with those she met as her life’s mission. She will be deeply missed by family and friends, yet we know she is at peace with the Lord and we will see her again someday.