Margaret Elaine Herman

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 3:00 am

Margaret E. Herman, 89, of Waukon, died of natural causes on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services on Saturday at church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. The family requests that in lieu of plants and flowers, you consider making a memorial donation to the Good Samaritan Society, Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, or the church of your preference.

Margaret Elaine Herman was born to Andrew Cornelius Christianson and Hilma Cornelia Larson Christianson on March 10, 1932, on her grandparents’ (Hans and Hilda Larson) farm in Waukon. She was baptized and confirmed at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, IA. On January 13, 1952, she married Alton Earl Herman (born June 26, 1930) at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church.Margaret worked at home the first seven years, then worked in the laundry department that served the Waukon hospital and the Good Samaritan Home for a number of years. She then became a nursing assistant, working at the hospital and Good Samaritan Home. She then worked for the Northern Engraving factory until she injured her arm. In 1979, Margaret and Alton bought the Uptown Motel and operated that for 20 years until they retired. Her hobbies included quilting, collecting Beanie Babies, and gathering her children, grandchildren, and extended family together whenever she could.

Margaret is survived by four of her children: Ron (Beverly) Herman of Iowa City, Don (Linda) Herman of Waukon, Dennis (Julie) Herman of Lansing, and Dewey (Tina) Herman of Decorah. Survivors also include three of her siblings: brothers Carmen (Margaret) Christianson of Preston, Minn., and Norman (Gayle) Christianson of Vallejo, Calif.; and sister Vivian (Dave) Benjegerdes of Postville; four of her sisters-in-law: Charlotte Christianson of Waukon, Darlena Herman of Waukon, Shirley (Chuck) Rosendahl of La Crescent, Minn., and Arleen McGuire of Hiawatha; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Alton (2014); sons David (infancy-1969) and John (2018); daughter Mary (2020); and four siblings/in-laws: Anaruth and Karl Bechtel, Ione and Norman Rema, Hilmen and Lillian Christianson, Clifton Christianson, Virgil Herman, Delton and Maggie Kruse, Virgil Christianson, and Larry McGuire.

Honorary casketbearers are Carmen and Norman Christianson, Charlie Rosendahl, Dave Benjergerdes, Jim Klenske, and Joshua and Jesse Herman. Casketbearers are Andy Christianson, Kevin Benjegerdes, Phillip Gugliuzza, Stanley Herman, Kevin Rosendahl, and Chad Svendson.