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Submitted: 3/23/22 • Approved: 3/24/22 • Last Updated: 3/27/22 • R1425926-G1425925-S3
February 28, 1917 - February 19, 2015
Margaret Anna Boetzel, 97, was called to her heavenly home Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015. She was born Feb. 28, 1917, in Trempealeau, Wis., to the late William and Anna Babbitt.
Margaret was predeceased by her parents; her husband of 66 years, Harold Boetzel; her brother, Robert, and his wife, Arlene Babbitt, of Tomah; and her sisters-in-law, Irene Boetzel and Viola (Gordon) Hull, and a nephew, John Hull, all of Markesan, Wis.
Margaret married the love of her life, Harold, on June 15, 1939. They worked side-by-side in their hardware store in Wilton for 32 years before retiring in 1966 and moving to Hot Springs, Ark.
Her favorite pastime was crocheting, and she made beautiful tablecloths, afghans, and doilies. She also loved to cook and was well known for her wonderful homemade pies and sour cream donuts.
When they moved from their lake home into a retirement community, she became Southwood’s “papergirl.” Every morning she would get up early and pick up each and every neighbor’s newspaper from their driveways and place them on their porches so they wouldn’t have to get out in the elements. She did that, rain or shine. She loved people, and this was just one of her ways of showing that. She was the most loving, caring person we’ve ever known. She truly had a “heart of gold” and exemplified a Christ-like spirit in everything she did.
Survivors include her daughter and husband, Diana and Merwyn Smith of Hot Springs, Ark; her grandchildren, Greg Smith of San Francisco and Wendy and Henry Assel of Kansas City; her four great-grandchildren, Wyatt Assel, Emma Assel, Margaret (Maggie) Assel and Aiden Assel, also of Kansas City; her brother, Paul, and his wife, Darlene Babbitt, of Wilton; and her nieces, Nancy (Terry) McIntyre of La Crosse, Jane Babbitt of Mauston, Betty Senske of Southlake, Texas, Jana Frost of New Hampton, Iowa, Bonnie (Jeff) Henn of New Hampton, Iowa, and Sharon Hull of Markesan, Wis.
She is also survived by her special cousins, Arlene Strouts of Hot Springs Village, Ark., Marilyn and David Hollmann of Sparta, Lorraine and Dan Chroninger of Black River Falls, and Carolyn and Ronnie Clark of Wilton; a ton of wonderful friends; and her two fur babies, “Annie” and “Blackie.”
Pallbearers will be Wyatt Assel, Ed Eddings, Marshall Kramer, Brady Rowe, Todd Sadowski and Scott Smith.
A special thank you to Dr. Tim English and staff for all the love and care they have shown her for so many years; to her Piney Grove family; her Southwood friends; AR Hospice; Dr. Koehn and nurse Michelle; her caregivers these past four weeks, Cindy and Michelle; and all the folks at the Sadowski/Hargis-Stevens office.
Visitation will be at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home, 155 Section Line Road, Hot Springs, Ark., on Friday, Feb. 27, from 5–7 p.m.
A celebration of her life will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Piney Grove United Methodist Church, 2963 Airport Road, Hot Springs, Ark., with Rev. Scott Gallimore and Rev. Larry Ferguson officiating. Burial will be in Crestview Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Piney Grove U.M.C., 2963 Airport Road, Hot Springs, AR 71913 or Garland County Humane Society, P.O. Box 1484, Hot Springs, AR 71902
Contributed on 3/23/22 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1425926