MARGARET E. PAHLS. 86, COPPELL, TEXAS
COPPELL, Texas – Margaret Ellen (Cullum) Pahls, “Mardy”, was born February 19, 1932, and departed this life on August 31, 2018, in Coppell, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Orie and Vella (Briney) Cullum, her husband Jim, and two sisters, Opal Budke and Mary Ann Sahlfeld. Left to mourn her passing and celebrate her life is her daughter, Joy DeLee and husband Greg Schulte of Coppell, TX; Step-Grandsons Jacob Schulte and Fiance Leah and Great Step-Grandson Hunter Anderson, MN; Benjamin Schulte, WA; Step-Granddaughter, Katie Schulte, WA; and many special nieces, nephews, and friends.
Margaret was born and raised in Beloit, KS. Margaret had a gift from God playing the violin as well as the clarinet and piano. She played the clarinet in High School as well as the violin in the High School orchestra and continued to play violin in the orchestra at Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS. While attending Bethany College, she was a member of 3 sororities: Sigma Phi Omega (Academics), Delta Kappa Gamma (Education), and Sigma Alpha Iota (Music), and received her Associate Degree in 1952. She went back to Fort Hays State University and received her BS in Elementary Education in 1969. Margaret knew as a child that all she wanted to be was a Teacher and often said that was the only thing she ever wanted to do and never wanted to do anything but teach. She had a huge heart for children and education was very important to her.
Her teaching career started at Asherville Grade School (1952-54). From there she taught at the Athens Grade School (1954-55), and Cawker City Grade School (1955-1959). She then took a break and the only child of Margaret and Jim Pahls was born, Joy DeLee, born in 1960. She was able to stay home for 4 years and then continued her Teaching Career.
Margaret taught St. John’s Grade School and HS band and marching band (1964-66); St Theresa’s Grade School (1966-69); Vocal Teacher for USD 272 for grade school and high schools in Tipton (the Tipton kids called her Mrs. P.) and Cawker City (1969-74); then went back into the grade school classroom with USD 272 in Cawker City teaching grades 1-4 for the remainder of her career (1974-94). During Margaret’s teaching career she also gave piano and voice lessons and would offer to tutor any children for free who needed extra help. She also played the organ at church, directed the church choir at several churches, and served various offices with the Ladies Guild. She volunteered as a Leader for the Girl Scouts and helped with 4-H. She was a Member of KS Education Association and was the Waconda Teachers Association Secretary. She decided to retire after 38 years of an incredible teaching career. During the time she was teaching, she lost her husband Jim Francis Pahls, September 17, 1990.
Margaret kept very busy after retirement with a lot of volunteer work with Ladies Guild, was a Councilwoman for Cawker City, and was a Life Member of Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW #6242, where she held many positions including the VP VA Hospital Chairman and Community Affairs Chair. In 2002 she was the 6th District National Home Chairwoman and received the State’s highest award for her overall reporting and participation in the VFW National Home for Children program along with another award in their Health and Happiness Fund. From 2002-2003 she was the State VFW/ PAC chairman where she supervised the 9 KS VFW/PAC programs to help support and promote veteran’s rights and benefits and received a state award for her outstanding performances as KS Dept. VFW/Political Action Committee. In 2003-2004 Margaret was selected as Ladies Auxiliary VFW 6th District President, in which she served 2 terms. Margaret also performed in The Messiah at her alma mater, Bethany College, for several years. She then moved to TX to be closer to her daughter and volunteered to teach children for 6 more years as well as babysitting when requested by the parents.
Margaret had a sincere love and kindness towards people and animals, she was very giving, was a very hard worker and loved her Teaching career. She volunteered many hours and in the words of several good friends, “anything she did, she did it all the way”. She was always there, even for children/kids who had lost a parent and was like a 2nd Mom to them. She always had a smile and made friends with anyone she met. She loved her family and being with them (her nieces and nephews would call her Auntie eM) and loved all her friends. She always had a smile for everyone and was very witty right to the end of her life.
She loved to be outdoors with nature and always fed the birds and loved flowers and plants. She loved music and learned to play every instrument, she loved art and painted many pictures with oil as well as pencil, she loved reading, crafts, gardening, calligraphy, and writing children’s stories.
Margaret would always say that she was a jack of all trades and a master of none, but she did master many things with her love, kindness, time, and her giving ways.
There will be a “Celebration of Life” on September, 14, 2018, at 1:00 pm at the McDonald-Roberts Funeral Home and burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Beloit, KS, immediately following the service.
Cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Bethany College or Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Roberts Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.robertsfamilyfs.com