Margaret Stefkovich Henderson was the daughter of Matey P Stefkovich and Veronika Tomasovich, 1st generation immigrants from Czechoslovakia who came to this country to find a better life for themselves and their offspring. She was the youngest of a family of 8 children spanning 20 years. Her early life was shaped by world events such as the Great Depression and World War ll and with that came a perseverance and independence that carried her through the many changes she would see in the world in her 93 years.
At a time and place where most youth dropped out of school to go to work to send money back home to their families – she not only graduated High School but went on to become an RN in the last graduating class of WWll WAC nurses. She was a career woman before her time and especially enjoyed working with veterans and in pediatric clinics in her early nursing career.
Young Margo had the beauty of a movie star paired with a wonderful sense of humor and fun and with that she caught the eye of my dashing father Bernie Henderson. Together they built an amazing life filled with love, family, friends, and fun. They created a home that was always welcoming and naturally connected people with their playful nature as was evidenced by both the neighborhood kids gravitating to their house and adopting them as “Mom and Dad Henderson” and by the many events they hosted and attended over the years in Cleveland and Florida.
Marge and Bernie had always wanted a big family and had all but given up hope when along came their first Gerard – followed by Michelle, Kathleen, Kimberly and Mark. Mom applied her amazing organizational skills to keep her brood involved and on time with many activities and events. Even with Dad traveling weekly for work and even when she returned to work, she made sure that at least one parent was in attendance at the majority of our many sporting, scouting and music events. No small feat with five kids.
Early in her marriage, mom learned to golf so that she and Dad could play together. With her natural athleticism, she went on to become a star in her own right with five Lake Fairways Club Championships and a grand total of seven holes-in-one in her lifetime! Even though she was busy raising us five kids, she and Dad always seemed to find time to ‘play’ together and encouraged us to find sports and activities that would bring us joy.
Mom also managed to find time for her abundant creativity through gardening, sewing and a myriad of handicrafts that she learned over the years. She always had a project in the works and often gifted her creations to our teachers, neighbors, and friends. Late in life she found her way back to coloring, an activity that brought her happy memories of childhood sitting in the kitchen with her mother close by, and we were all rewarded with the beauty of her amazing mandalas.
Mom was a lifelong learner with some remarkable achievements. With college on the horizon for her five kids, and a strong desire for them all to have this opportunity, Mom first went back to school to get her real estate license and then later took a refresher course in nursing and returned to the work force as and RN in her 50’s. In retirement, as an avid photographer and natural documentarian she became the historian for her retirement community at Lake Fairways. To better share information in her community, she then became proficient on the computer learning to use Facebook and email and later still texting from her smartphone. While always claiming to not be ‘tech savvy’, she managed to delight so many with her emails, emoji filled texts and Facebook comments.
In some of my final conversations with mom she expressed how appreciative she was for a life filled with so many memories of fun times she had with family and friends over the years. She was especially glad that all of her kids were friends with each other and there to support one another for life’s ups and downs. She is survived by her five children and thier spouses and nine grandchildren.
Mom looked forward to being with the love of her life Bernie again in God’s eternal kingdom. May we carry her light within our hearts and may she rest in peace and happiness.
A Funeral service was not held at this time due to Covid, but are planning to have a family reunion hopefully next year to visit her and Dad in Florida to celebrate their lives.
We are forever grateful for the caring staff Tanner Spring Assisted Living and Providence Portland Hospice.
Donations can be made in mom's name to Providence St Vincent Hospice here: https://give.providencefoundations.org/stvincent...
or to any of the shelters or programs providing support for the homeless as mom felt a great deal of compassion for their plight and wished they could get the help that they needed.
May your lives be filled with as many joyful memories as Moms and perhaps even as many holes-in one :
Remember me when flowers bloom
Early in the spring
Remember me on sunny days
In the fun that summer brings
Remember me in the fall
As you walk through the leaves of gold
And in the wintertime - remember me
In the stories that are told
But most of all remember
Each day - right from the start
I will be forever near
For I live within your heart
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