Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Saturday

October 13, 2012

Margaret Anne Case Lempke

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TRAVERSE CITY — Margaret Anne Case Lempke, 80, of Traverse City, passed away Oct. 11, 2012, at Munson Medical Center.

Margaret was born on May 11, 1932, in Frankfort, to John James and Jeannette (Bailey) Case. She was a direct decedent of the Case, Bailey and Barr families who were the original settlers of the Benzonia Colony.

Margaret graduated from Benzonia High School in 1950.

She worked at the Cherry Hut for five years and the Organic Research Laboratory at Dow Chemical in Midland prior to her studies at Park College in Park Ville, Mo., and Michigan State University.

On Oct. 15, 1955, she married Wilbert J. Lempke in Benzonia. Together they raised their to daughters, Rachel and Teresa. Wilbert passed away in 2003. They lived in Salem, Oregon, Acme, Iron River, Hot Springs, Ark., and most recently, Traverse City since 2004.

Margaret taught elementary grades at Bertha Vos Elementary and at West Iron County School in the Upper Peninsula. In 1987 she was awarded the Outstanding Elementary Education Award from West Iron County Schools.

She retired in 1988 and began traveling the country with her husband.

Margaret was brought up in the Benzonia Congregational Church in Benzonia. She was also a member of the Emmanuel United Brethren Church of Traverse City after she and Wilbert were married. She joined the Grace Covenant Church while living in Iron River and joined the Piney Grove United Methodist Church while living in Hot Springs, Ark. She was also a member of the DAR through Dr. James Bradish, Massachusetts, and the Colonial Dames of the XVII Century through Richard Seymour C.N., both ancestors of her mother.

Margaret is survived by her daughters, Rachel (Daniel) Lempke VanHouten, of Traverse City, and Teresa (Gerard) Lempke Woehnel, of Arnouville-les-Montes, France; grandsons, Adam Jon VanHouten, Nathaniel Daniel VanHouten and Aubin Peter Woehnel; great-granddaughter, Ella Rene VanHouten; great-grandsons, Nolan Thomas and Isaac John VanHouten; brother, Bruce H. Case, of Solomons, Md.; sister-in-law, Yvonne Ponce Lempke; and several other family members and friends.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wilbert; and brother, John S. Case.

Per Margaret's wishes, cremation has taken place. She will be interred at Fort Custer National Cemetery next to her husband.

Memorial contributions in memory of Margaret may be directed to the American Diabetes Association.

Please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com to share your thoughts and memories with the family.

The family is being served by Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

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