Margaret Tepley

Margaret Frances (Wagner) Tepley, 88, of Brainerd, MN passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at Harmony House in Brainerd, MN. A Mass of Christian Burial for Margaret will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 11:00AM at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Brainerd, MN with visitation one hour prior to services at the church. Burial will be held at St. Isadore's Catholic Church Cemetery in Moran Township.

Margaret was born on October 19, 1927 to Frank Wagner and Elizabeth (Tlusty) Wagner in Moran County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Isador's Catholic Church. She went to Fawn Lake School from grades 1 through 8 and then finished her education at Staples High School, where she graduated in 1945.

After Margaret graduated from high school, she worked at the Pentagon for 1 year before returning to Minnesota and taking a job as a teller at Cook's Department Store in St. Paul until her marriage to Benjamin Tepley in 1949. Margaret worked as an admittance clerk and Dispatcher for the United District Hospital in Staples from 1966 to 1993 when she retired. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Staples, and then St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Brainerd, until she could no longer attend mass. Margaret loved gardening and when you came to visit her at her home in Staples you'd usually find her tending one of the many gardens around her home. She loved to sew and made many of the dresses that her girls wore to school, also crocheting and quilting many beautiful quilts and crocheted items. Her cooking was amazing and she took great pleasure in making meals for her family and family gatherings, baking cookies, pies, cakes and goodies for the people that she loved. She loved her Heavenly Father dearly and bible study was an important part of her life, she would often discuss the bible with her children and tried to teach them what was important in life and how important it was to serve the Lord. Her greatest love in life was her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and she was happiest when they were with her.

Margaret is survived by her five children; Margaret (Paul) Rousu of Callaway, MN, Marilyn Tepley of Baxter, MN, Bernadette (Mark) Peterson of River Falls, Wi, Bruce (Kathy) Tepley of Culver City, CA and Russell Tepley of Red Wing, MN; six grandchildren, Michelle (Rousu) Splonskoski, Jennifer (Tepley) Blackwell, Kristina (Tepley) Golden, Stefanie (Tepley) Ulrich, Sabrina (Peterson) Chapman, Bryce Peterson, and six great grandchildren, Kelsey, Kasey, Kodi, Olivia, Ava, and Annika. She was preceded in death by her son Benjamin Tepley III, her Mother and Father and all of her Sisters and Brothers. Margaret was also preceded in death by her ex husband Benjamin F. Tepley Jr. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter, MN.