Sad News ~ Margaret Greger

[Penny Lingenfelter]

> With Sadness, I am forwarding this to the Kiting World.

>

> I spoke with Greg this morning and He said that Margaret had not felt well

> since her recent hip surgery and within the past week, she was in much pain

> and not wanting to eat.

>

> Greg assured me that, it was a blessing that she is now out of pain.

>

> Prayers and Sympathy may be sent to the Greger family.

>

> We will all feel the loss when we look into the empty place in the sky.

>

> Greg, also, wanted us to know that there will be Spring Kite Fly on April

> 5th, 2009 at Leslie Groves Park by the Columbia River in Richland.

>

> Larry and Mary Zilar, (509) 366-0847

>

>

>

> George (Greg) Greger

> 1425 Marshall Ave.

> Richland, WA, USA, 99352

> Phone: (509) 943-3951

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: George (Greg) Greger

> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 10:47 AM

> To: Zilar, Larry

> Subject: Obituary/Margaret

>

> This is what I spoke of. GREG

>

> MARGARET GREGER, Obituary draft.

>

> Encouragement, kindness and optimism to friends and stranger alike, a

> love for her family and a sense of humor made up her life. Attention to

> family, kites and wild flowers were foremost in the life of Magaret Greger.

>

> Margaret (Haun) Greger was born on Dec. 6, 1923, to parents Henry and

> Elizabeth Haun in Harrisburg, Nebraska. During her teen years, she won

> awards for spelling and broad jump. After graduating from high school

> as Valedictorian, she began working for a local newspaper. She then

> learned to operate a linotype machine and set type for printing,

> eventually becoming a member of the Typographical Union. After the war,

> she completed journalism classes at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

>

> At the University, she met George (Greg) Greger, a GI Bill student who

> had returned from service overseas. They were married on April 4, 1947.

> After his graduation, they journeyed to New York City. Upon checking

> in with the Typographical Union, she was immediately placed on a job

> with one of the city newspapers. Friends were impressed that she had

> gotten a good job so quickly.

>

> In 1950, they moved to Richland where her husband began employment at

> the Hanford Project under General Electric. They moved to the present

> address of 1425 Marshall Ave., Richland in 1947. Neighborhood kids

> enjoyed the Greger backyard playhouses and the reliable supply of

> cookies and homemade root beer. The neighborhood kids were aware that

> if they had a notion to drag 60 tumbleweeds into the backyard to

> construct a huge tumbleweed igloo, then Margaret Greger would be fine

> with it. Once anyway.

>

> Margaret was active in both the Catholic Church affairs and the

> Democratic Party. In the 1960s she advocated for civil rights in the

> Tri-Cities. She helped with Scouts and was a Brownie Group leader.

> Margaret enjoyed the Native Plant Society wildflower trips and served

> the Audubon Society as its librarian for many years.

>

> Margaret was devoted to kite flying and kite making as a major passion,

> teaching classes, writing articles and authoring five books. Her books

> "Kites for Everyone" and "More Kites for Everyone" are prized by kite

> makers and teachers worldwide. Her goal was for students with no

> experience to be able to efficiently make a high quality kite using

> easily obtainable materials and to enjoy flying them on completion.

>

> In 1996, she was named American Kite Magazine's Kite Person of the Year.

> The tribute article stated that she had taught thousands of adults and

> kids how to make and fly kites over forty years of dedication to the

> craft. In 2002, Margaret was inducted into the World Kite Museum's

> Hall of Fame.

>

> Margaret Greger is survived by husband George, brothers Jim, Larry and

> Joe Haun and sister Loretta Peterson. Children are Debora, Miriam,

> Joel, Jan, Amelie, Del and Evan. Grandchildren are Thomas, Avalon and

> Brennan.

>

> As a remembrance, we suggest readers fly a kite in that empty space in

> the sky. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested a donation in her honor be

> made to a group with which she worked and supported. The address:

> McNary Wildlife Refuge Education Center, 311 Lake Road, Burbank, WA

> 99323.

>

> You may express your thoughts and memories in the online guest book at

> www.einansfuneralhome.com.

>

> The funeral Mass will be on Saturday, March 21st at 11:00 a.m. at Christ

> the King Catholic Church in Richland with a remembrance reception to

> follow in the gathering place of the church.

[John Barresi]

Penny, thanks for passing this on... I didn't know her, but Margaret was a longtime part of kiting.

She will be missed, no doubt.

FYI, I stripped the email addresses out of your post so they don't get farmed by spam bots.

[Baloo]

As with John I didnt know Margaret, or even know of he I am afraid.

It is sad to loose a part of the Kite community, although we all know this is a fact of life.

Looking at the kind words and Obituary above her life will be celebrated and remembered by many. What a wonderful string of memories to hold onto in rememberance of what was obviously, even to me who didnt even know of her, a kind and generous member of the kiting family.

We all have our losses, both public family and private family. The quality of a persons life is in how they are remembered. I am sure Margaret will be remembered with kindness, and hopefully a smile.

[Penny Lingenfelter]

Penny, thanks for passing this on... I didn't know her, but Margaret was a longtime part of kiting.

She will be missed, no doubt.

FYI, I stripped the email addresses out of your post so they don't get farmed by spam bots.

Thank you John, I didn't even think about spam.

BB Penny