Margaret Louise Muma Selfridge

is honored with a Large Paver from Daniel and Martha Housholder, David and Anne Housholder, W.B. and Lo Rene McClaren, Richard Muma, Lucile M. Opp, and John and Pamela Opp Reeser.

Margaret Louise Muma was born September 2, 1910, on a farm east of Maize, Kansas, that was homesteaded by her grandfather. She attended Maize High School and graduated Valedictorian of a class of 18 students. The day after her 18th birthday, she began teaching in a one-room country school, Prairie Queen #9, northwest of Valley Center. During the summer, she began working in the Sedgwick County Treasurer's office. During eleven years of teaching, she attended Wichita State University and Wichita Business College classes to prepare for full-time work in the Treasurer's office in 1939.

She married Oliver John Selfridge on March 19, 1943, in the old sanctuary of First Methodist Church during an air-raid black-out. John was a CPA with Kubik & Co. and a widower with two children, Lila Ann, age 9, and Oliver John, age 5. She adopted them and became a full-time homemaker and member of Alpha-Beta Mother's Club, president of Hypatia Beta, and served as State Chairman of the American Mother's Committee.

In 1946, they had a daughter, Martha Louise. Lila received her baccalaureate degree from the University of Wichita in home economics with a minor in piano. John, Jr., obtained a fine arts degree from the University of Kansas and Master's and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University. Martha received A.B. and M.D. degrees from the University of Kansas and residency and fellowship certificates from Johns Hopkins Medical School.

Margaret and John were married 22 years. When Income Tax Day changed from March 15 to April 15, they began celebrating their wedding anniversary on April 19 rather than March 19. They shared interests in Wichita Audubon Society, Parent's Club, Wichita Coin Club, and Fidelis Sunday School class. John died in 1965.

Margaret's career at the Sedgwick County Treasurer's office resumed in 1954 and she became Chief Deputy. When the treasurer's post became vacant, she chose not to run for office but began a fourth career at Stockyards National Bank in 1959. She advanced to Vice-President and served as secretary to the Board of Directors for 16 years before being elected a member of the Board of Directors. She retired after 27 years at the bank and continued as a Director of United American Bank until the merger creating Emprise Bank. During her banking career she served as regional vice-president of the National Association of Bank Women and as an advisory member of the governing council of the Kansas Bankers' Association.

Margaret served as treasurer of the Wichita Audubon Society during the acquisition of the Chaplin Nature Center. She continued to be active in First United Methodist Church and served as an officer and member of numerous boards and committees as well as Wichita district boards of the Methodist Church. She was a member of Financial Women International and Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. She established the Charles and Amy Mahin Scholarship Fund at Wichita State University and remained co-trustee. Until her illness, she was treasurer for four groups, including Church Women United. In October 1996, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at her home on April 15, 1997. She leaves three children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

July 17, 1998