Margaret Shaft Rice

is honored with a Medium Paver from Joan McKinney, David Shaft, Donald Shaft, Jerry Shaft, and John Shaft.

Our Mother was born Margaret Dagmar Jessen in Kansas City, MO on October 4, 1908. The youngest child of two Danish immigrants, she had two older brothers and two older sisters. Margaret came to Wichita as a teenager, graduated from Wichita High School in 1926, and married Stanley Shaft in 1929. She had five children (two sets of twins included) in less than four years.

Being widowed in 1949, when we were all teenagers, she went to Business College to brush up on secretarial skills and then worked for the next 20 years in an investment firm. Margaret joined Soroptimist International of Hutchinson, KS in 1969, and held various offices including President. She is now a life member. She is also a long-standing member of the Lutheran Church.

In 1995 when she was 87 years old, she married again to a lifelong friend, Dean Rice. She now has 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, three stepdaughters, and step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.

Growing up we called her "Sergeant" behind her back - she did run a tight army - but we always knew there was much love in everything she was trying. Our father was on the road with his job most weeks, thus she made many hard decisions on her own. It wasn't an easy task raising five who were as stubborn and determined as she was. Her deep Christian conviction and love of God has sustained and nurtured us all. We try to carry on the tradition - the eldest of us being a retired Lutheran minister. Her caring and concern for family and friends is always evident to new acquaintances. She cherishes us all and we naturally love her very much in return.

Having jet-skied for the first time last summer, she still has a zest for living. Still drives a car, mows the lawn if she can get by with it, and would like to raise a flower garden if the rabbits wouldn't eat everything! She prefers to do her own housework without outside help, loves to knot afghans - having made many beautiful ones - and has always been a great cook (pies, rolls, and divinity being the specialties).

This being her 90th birthday year, we hope she never slows down. She radiates so much love and joy in all our lives.

Submitted by Jerald J. Shaft, David E. Shaft, Donald L. Shaft, John C. Shaft and Joan Shaft McKinney

September 16, 1998